Decisions, Decisions
by ktchthatkatie
Summary: Set a few years after the epilogue of Finale, Nora has an idea she wants to discuss with Patch, but he's a bit weary of it. Are Patch and Nora ready to start a family? What will their child turn out to be?
1. Chapter 1

I smiled as Vee lifted her baby higher so that I could view it through the Skype camera that connected us. He looked just like Vee, with his round cheeks and soft blond hair. You could barely tell the boy was Gavin's, only in his eyes and nose. Everything else about him was pure Vee.

"Meet my little man, Gavin Louis Smythe the Third," Vee announced proudly, holding the cooing baby protectively in her arms.

"Gosh, Vee! He looks just like you!" I exclaimed, laughing.

Vee smiled, glowing with pride. "You think so, Babe?"

"Of course!"

I heard the front door open and close and Patch's familiar footsteps begin to climb the stairs to our bedroom. He was finally home. As Patch appeared in the doorway of our bedroom, Vee saw how distracted I was. She typed a quick instant message to me and ended our Skype call.

The message read: **Nice talking to you babe, have fun with Patch. ;) xoxo, Vee.**

I smiled and clicked out of the browser, shutting down my laptop just as I felt a pair of warm, strong arms envelop me. Patch's minty breath tickled my neck and caused me to sigh lightly. I felt his cheek tug up in a smirk against my hair. _Miss me, Angel?_ He spoke into my thoughts, kissing my neck gently.

Another sigh escaped my lips. "Only a little."

Patch chuckled and unraveled his arms from around me. "Was that Vee?"

I nodded, swiveling the desk chair to face him. I stood up, taking his hand in mine and leading him to our bed. He sat down and I quickly crawled into his lap. "She had her baby. He's just gorgeous. Looks just like her."

"Mmm…" Patch breathed against my hair, running his nimble fingers over the soft auburn curls that flowed down my back.

We sat there for a while, captivated in each other's arms. I thought about Vee becoming a mother, how a sense of normalcy was seeping back into our lives. Vee had gotten married, just had a baby, and taken the normal route of life after the war had ended. There were no more fallen angels… well, none other than Patch. Nephilim were free to do whatever they pleased without having to worry about Cheshvan or swearing fealty. That's what I was. A Nephilim. Before now, there had never been a Nephilim and a fallen angel in a relationship. But Patch and I had made an oath to each other, to love each other. That was what you could call our "marriage". And children? Well…

I cleared my throat, turning my head up at Patch. "Um…"

Patch lifted his head from my hair, looking at me curiously. "What's on your mind, Angel?"

I had to just say it. "Patch, what do you think about babies?"

Patch smirked slightly, his dark eyes glinting with humor. "Never been around much of them, really. Not my kind of crowd."

I felt warm blood rise to my cheeks and I turned my head away. "I'm being serious."

Patch's finger nudged my chin and turned my face to look at him, All humor had faded from his eyes, and he seemed to be searching my face. "What's this about, Nora?"

I sighed. "Well, we've been together nearly seven years now, and Vee and Gavin just had a baby, and…" My voice trailed off, and I heaved my shoulders in a shrug.

Patch grew still, and I could practically see his mind trying to grasp what I was saying. His mouth was set into a tight line, and his eyes roamed mine, searching for something he seemed to be intent on finding. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I heard his voice, quiet and almost timid, in my head. _Is this was you really want?_

I nodded my head, and Patch sighed. "Angel, we don't even know what species the kid would be. I'm pretty sure a Fallen Angel and a Nephilim have never had a kid before."

"We could ask the archangels."

Patch's eyes glazed over. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because as far as I remember, they still aren't too fond of me."

"Basso let you feel again."

Patch smirked, but it disappeared as fast as it came. "That still doesn't mean that they like me."

"We at least could try."

"And what if they don't know?"

I narrowed my eyes. "You know, it wouldn't kill you to be a little more optimistic."

Patch rolled his eyes. "Nora, I'm just trying to be safe here. I don't want our child to bring havoc to the world. And most importantly, I don't want to hurt you."

Irritated, I stood up and took a few steps away. "When will you realize that I'm immortal too? Nothing can kill me."

His black eyes seemed to darken more, and he stood up. At six foot two, he towered over me, but that didn't mean I was backing down. "Just because you can't die doesn't mean you can't be hurt enough to wish you were dead. I don't want to see you in pain, Nora."

I threw my arms up, exasperated. "We don't even know if I can have children!" I pushed a few auburn ringlets away from my face and looked away from Patch. "It was just a thought. Forget I said anything."

"Nora…"

I turned towards him, my face set in a harsh grimace. "I said forget it."

I grabbed a jacket that was draped over a chair in the corner of our bedroom and slid it on, walking out of the room.

"Where are you going?" I heard him call behind me as I bounced down the steps of our two-story modern house.

"Out."

"Out where?"

"To clear my head!" I shouted up to him as I opened the front door and slammed it shut behind me.


	2. Chapter 2

Hours after the sun went down, I went back home. I had been gone for close to seven hours. I had driven to the beach for a while, desperately trying to shake off any angry feelings I was having towards Patch. Deep down, I knew he was right. We really didn't know what to expect. Was it even possible that a fallen angel and a Nephilim could reproduce? What if the baby was as weak as Marcie had been? Marcie was gone now, dead because of how weak her body was. What if our baby ended up like that? I shook my head, trying to erase any thoughts of it. It was time to face Patch now, after I stormed out on him so abruptly.

After I opened the door and stepped inside the house, I listened for Patch's footsteps. My Nephilim senses could pick up what normal human senses couldn't. I heard that he was upstairs, to the left… in our bedroom, perhaps? His footsteps seemed rhythmic. Four steps forward, a pivot, four steps back. Was he pacing? He only did that when he was really worried. As I shut the door, his footsteps paused.

"Angel?"

I smiled slightly at the timid sound to his voice. "Yeah?"

As I climbed the stairs to the upper level, Patch appeared in the doorway of our bedroom. His expression was remorseful, and yet thoughtful. I could tell he was thinking hard about something, the worry lines in his face being a dead giveaway. When I was several strides away from him, he closed the gap and wound his arms around me tightly. His face was buried in my hair and I felt his breath blow a few pieces of hair out of place. His voice, so quiet, crept into my head, _Angel, I'm sorry. I never meant to make you angry._

I sighed, and enveloped him in my arms. "It's okay, Patch. You were right. I never thought it through. I mean, what if our baby ends up being like Marcie? I won't let it die so young…"

Patch pulled back and looked at me, a small smile playing at his lips. "Angel, don't worry about it."

"I mean, do you even want kids?" I asked quietly.

Patch's mouth faded into a tight line. "I've never really thought about it before now. But I want to make you happy. That's my number one goal, Angel."

I smiled just a little bit.

Patch smirked. "And since I knew it would make you happy, I talked to the archangels."

My face lit up and I smiled ear to ear. "Really? What did they say? Do they know anything?"

Patch shook his head. "Nothing. They don't really know what will happen. They're best guess was that it would be a healthy Nephilim. You see, it's kind of like breeding dogs. You can breed two of the same kind, but they have more diseases and such. When you breed two of different kinds and make a mutt, they live longer and are healthier."

I nodded, trying to process what he was saying. "So Marcie was weak because she was born from two Nephilim?"

Patch nodded. "Exactly. If we were to have a baby…" he saw the way my face lit up at the proposition and he smirked, "then it would most likely be healthier because we're not of the same species."

I laughed joyously. "So that's good, right?"

"That's great," Patch said with a smile.

I placed my hands on his chest and leaned in close to his face. "So…" I started in my best seductive voice, "when do we start?"

Patch left a small kiss on the tip of my nose. "Start what?" His voice was husky and low as he moved his head to trail light kisses down my neck.

I smiled. "Trying to have a baby, silly."

I felt Patch's lips curve up into a smirk against my neck. "We can start now, if you want…"

A light sigh escaped my lips as his kisses traveled to my collarbone. "Oh, I want…."

As I lay in Patch's arms in the dim moonlight, his fingers traced invisible patterns on my bare skin. I smiled as the contact made me shiver. Patch chuckled and pulled up the covers around me, making sure I was kept warm. I snuggled closer to him, my legs tangled up in his.

"Are you tired, Angel?"

I laughed quietly. "A little bit…" But he caught me in my lie as I yawned.

Patch smirked. "Sleep, love. I'll be right here."

I closed my eyes, letting sleep take over.

We tried for months. Clocks ticked by and still, nothing. It seemed the more I wanted it, the farther away it was from my grasp. I had made Patch run out to the store countless times to buy pregnancy tests, each one coming out negative. Patch did his best to keep me motivated and happy, but I was beginning to become discouraged.

Vee's baby was soon a year old. We had been trying for an entire year, and nothing had happened. I Skyped with Vee on Gavin Jr.'s first birthday.

"Hey babe! What's up?" Vee's voice chirped loudly on my laptop speakers.

I smiled. "Hi Vee. Just thought I'd video chat you and Gavin and wish the little guy a happy birthday."

Vee bent down and picked up Gavin, who had grown substantially since the last video chat I'd seen him on nearly two months ago. He giggled and reached towards Vee's computer screen. Vee laughed. "Say hi Gavin!" The little boy waved a chubby little hand at me.

A smiled spread across my face, but it was half sad. "Wow Vee, he's grown up so fast!"

Vee nodded enthusiastically. "I know! I can't believe it's been a year aready!"

I shook my head, my face tilting down. "Me neither."

Vee sensed the sadness behind my voice and put Gavin back down. "Aww babe, no luck on the baby making?"

I sighed heavily. "No! Patch and I have been trying for forever! I want one, and as much as he doesn't want to admit it, I know Patch wants one too!"

Vee smiled. "You know, you could always borrow little Gavin. Let him keep you up half the night and see how you like it."

A reluctant smile appeared on my face. "I wouldn't mind."

Vee laughed. "We'll see if you say that again with no sleep."

We laughed together for a while. We talked about nothing and everything, from Gavin to Patch to shopping to vacations.

I sighed. "Vee, do you think you'll ever come back to Coldwater?"

Vee's plump lips pursed for a moment. "I told you, Nora, there are so many memories…"

I nodded. "I know, but I'm still here."

"Because your mom is there."

"So is yours, Vee."

"But we were never close like you and your mom."

I shook my head. It was true, they never were too close. Despite my mom traveling, we had maintained a close relationship. Patch and I managed to mind trick her back into liking Patch, since Hank's mind trick forced her to hate him. We were all on good terms now, and my mom accepted that Patch and I were together for the long haul.

Vee spoke up first after the awkward silence. "Does your mom know that you and Patch are trying to have a baby?"

I shook my head. "My mom and I are close, but that doesn't mean I talk about my sex life with her, Vee."

Vee smiled a bit. "Maybe you should talk to her. Motherly advice does work wonders."

I smirked. "Like you ever listened to your mom," I said sarcastically.

"Sometimes. And when I did, it always turned out okay."

I sighed. "Okay Vee, I'll try talking to her."

Vee clapped her hands together excitedly. "Okay, Nora, I got to go. It's close to Gavin's bed time and he's fussy when it comes to sleeping."

I smiled. "Okay Vee, talk to you soon."

Vee blew a kiss to the camera. "Bye babe." And the screen went black.


	3. Chapter 3

"Bye Nora! Love you!"

"Love you too mom. Talk to you soon."

I hung up the phone, exhausted from calling my mother. I love her, I really do, but she can be very annoying. I slumped back against the cool leather couch and sunk into the cushions. I had finally taken Vee's advice and called my mother, asking for her advice on my predicament. At first I think she was a little shocked. No mother wants to admit her baby is ready to have babies and is sexually active. But once I got her talking, she began giving me the talk of the century. She seemed to know a lot, but then again, she was much older and had more experience than me. However, we still hadn't told her what Patch and I were. I decided that my mom needed to live as normal as she possibly could. And if there were any chance that telling her about us could put her in danger, I wasn't taking that chance. Part of me thought maybe the archangels were wrong. What if Patch and I couldn't have a baby? Was it impossible? Were we trying for nothing?

Patch poked his head from around the corner of the wall that lead into the kitchen. "Angel, are you hungry? Do you want me to make my famous tacos?" A small smile tugged at his lips.

I nodded appreciatively and he ducked back into the kitchen. I heard him rustling around in our pots and pans cabinet. Patch had softened a bit during the past year. He saw how much it discouraged me every time a pregnancy test came back negative. He even seemed discouraged himself, but he never voiced it. Somehow I knew Patch wanted kids. He may have been reluctant at first, but he grew into the idea. And now it seemed we were never going to have any kids.

Patch brought over the tacos once they were done and sat beside me on the couch. As I balanced the plate on my lap, I took the first bite of the tacos he made. They were delicious as always, and it made me moan in delight.

Patch smirked. "Good?"

I managed to nod as I took another bite.

Patch chuckled quietly. "So, how did Blythe handle the news that her daughter is trying to get pregnant?"

I nearly spat out the bite of food I had in my mouth and I looked at him with wide eyes. I swallowed and my eyes narrowed at him. "I should have known you'd be listening."

Patch grinned a triumphant smile.

I shook my head. "I mean, at first she was a little bit shocked, but she came around."

Patch nodded, his expression becoming solemn. "Did she have any advice?" His voice was quiet, as if he was almost afraid to ask.

"Yeah, she did."

"And?"

"She said not to worry about it."

Patch arched one of his dark eyebrows. "…That's it?"

I shrugged. "Apparently a woman's body can sense when she's worried or concerned about something, and it lowers the chance of conceiving."

Patch's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "So we just have to… let it go?"

"Basically."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. Forget about it, and BAM! It happens," I said with a small smile.

Patch nodded, seeming thoughtful. He stole one of the tacos off of my plate and nibbled on it, staring at the floor. I wondered what thoughts were coursing through his head now. _What are you thinking about, Patch?_ I mind-spoke to him.

He smiled at me. _Thinking about being a father._

My eyes lit up and I grinned widely at him. _Really?_

_Really, Angel. This whole year I've been worried about it. How I would handle it, how I would be with a child. It's not easy for me to be so… Paternal._

I nearly laughed. "Jev Cipriano, I never thought that I'd ever hear you say that."

He smirked. "Me neither."

After that, we stopped trying to have a baby. We both agreed it was best to give up. If it was meant to happen, it would. We weren't meant to worry about it all of the time. Patch and I went on with our normal lives.

**_-8 months later-_**

The sunlight shining through our window is what woke me up first. The rays were directly in my eyes and I groaned, burying my face into Patch's shoulder. I heard him exhale as he rolled on top of me, keeping me pinned beneath him with his arms on either side of my head.

I squirmed, trying to get out from underneath him. "Patch, get off of me. You're crushing me."

A sleepy smirk appeared on his face, but his eyes were still closed. "That's not what you said last night."

"Patch…" I whined, trying my best to push him off with no avail.

_Angel, don't be so grumpy…_ he spoke into my thoughts.

"I'm not grumpy! I'm… I'm…" my voice trailed off as I shoved against him suddenly with all my might. "I'm about to be sick!"

My shove was enough to knock Patch off balance, and I rolled out of bed. As soon as my feet his the floor, I was scrambling to get to the bathroom. I grasped onto the toilet bowl and heaved up the content of my stomach. The bile rose in my throat and made me gag more. Somewhere behind me I heard Patch softly calling my name and his footsteps heading quickly towards the bathroom. I thanked my lucky stars that our bathroom was adjoined to our bedroom. I felt Patch's big warm hands rubbing soft circles against my back. It felt somewhat soothing as I continued to heave into the toilet bowl.

_Nora, Angel, are you okay? What's wrong?_

_Not now Patch!_ I groaned back at him into his thoughts.

Once I was finished, my hand fumbled for a moment before finding the flush mechanism and flushing the toilet. I wiped the back of my hand against my mouth and grimaced at the taste left in my mouth. I pushed past Patch to get to the sink and I brushed my teeth quickly, trying desperately to get rid of that god awful taste. I shuffled back into the bedroom with Patch on my heels, his hand never leaving my back.

"Nora, _please_ tell me what's going on." Patch's voice sounded desperate and worried.

I shook my head. "I don't know. I just felt really nauseous."

He rolled his eyes. "This is the third week that you've gotten sick. There has got to be something wrong with you."

I gave him a deadly look. "Nothing is wrong with me, Patch. Besides, I don't think Nephilim get sick."

Patch raised an eyebrow, giving me a disapproving expression. "Well I guess there's a first for everything. Would you please stop being so stubborn and go to the doctor? I've been asking you to do it since Sick Week One."

I pursed my lips and sat down on our bed. "Patch, I told you, I'm fine. Whatever it is, it will probably pass."

"Angel, please…"

"I said I'm fine!" I snapped at him angrily.

Patch's eyes grew wide as he watched me, and I realized how horrible I had just treated him. He was just trying to be caring, and I shot him down. The sting of tears began to hurt my eyes and I hung my head low. Tears began to flow down my cheeks. "I'm sorry Patch! I don't know what's wrong with me. I hate feeling so sick."

Patch knelt down in front of me and tilted my head up with the tip of his finger. "Nora, Angel, please. I'm begging you. Let me take you to the doctor's. I can't stand to see you like this."

I nodded and sniffled, wiping my tears away with the back of my hand. "Okay, Patch."

He scooped me up in his arms and carried me out to the car.


	4. Chapter 4

Patch's leg bounced quickly as he sat in the chair next to the hospital bed that I was laying on. He had his signature black ball cap in his hands and he was staring at it like his life depended on it. You could definitely tell he was nervous. We were waiting on the doctor now. It seemed like we'd been waiting an eternity, but instead it was really a maximum of ten minutes. It didn't matter though. We wanted—no, we _needed_ answers.

I reached out and put my hand on Patch's bouncing knee. "Patch, relax."

He finally looked up from his ball cap and his eyes met mine. His usual smirk was apparent on his lips. "Sorry, Angel. You know I don't have the most patience in the world."

I smiled. "I know."

Just then, the doctor came in the room. She was younger, maybe in her mid-thirties. She was tall and slender, but you could tell she had toned muscles in the legs that exposed under her pencil skirt. She had dark brown hair that was twisted into a low, neat bun. Thin-framed glasses sat perched on her nose. The glasses only enhanced her large brown eyes that were rimmed in thick black eyelashes. Her smile was warm and welcoming, and she put me at ease almost immediately.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Griffin. You're Nora Cipriano, I'm assuming." Her voice was friendly.

I nodded. "That's me."

"What brings you in here today?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but Patch beat me to it. "She's been throwing up for nearly three weeks now, and she hasn't had the same appetite at all." I looked at him, but he seemed un-phased.

Dr. Griffin smiled. "I'm also guessing he's your husband," she mentioned to me, and I nodded. She chuckled. "Well, I'm going to need a blood sample, just to run some tests."

I felt Patch stiffen beside me, but I nodded anyways. "Yes, of course."

_Nora?_ I heard Patch's voice in my head.

_Yeah?_

_I don't want to watch this._

I smirked. _Big bad Patch afraid of a little needle?_

_It's not that. I just… I don't want to see her stab you with a needle. Your blood and… ugh._

I smiled and shook my head. Dr. Griffin looked at me with curiosity, and I blushed. "It's nothing, I'm just thinking."

Patch turned his head away as the needle slid into my arm and began to draw my blood. It made mee feel pretty lightheaded and I closed my eyes and waited until it was over. Dr. Griffin quickly excused herself to run the tests. I still had my eyes closed as she left the room.

"Nora?" I heard Patch whisper. He sounded worried.

"I'm okay, Patch. Just a little dizzy is all." I couldn't muster up the strength to open my eyes and look at him.

"Okay…" came his tentative response.

After a few minutes, I opened my eyes and saw Patch looking at me, worry clear on his face. I smiled at him and took his hand, lacing my fingers through his. "It's normal to feel lightheaded after taking blood, Patch."

"I know."

"Then why do you look so worried?" I asked teasingly.

"Do not."

"You do."

He smirked. "I do not."

I rolled my eyes, smiling. "Whatever you say, Patch."

Dr. Griffin walked back into the room reviewing the papers on her clip board. "Nora, let me ask you. When was your last menstrual cycle?"

I blushed, glancing at Patch. I didn't think I'd ever be used to talking about my period in front of Patch. My mind tried to reverse and remember when my last period was. "Um, maybe a month and a half ago, why—OH!" I exclaimed, the pieces fitting together in my head.

Patch's brow furrowed. "What is it, Angel?"

Dr. Griffin smiled. "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Cipriano. You're pregnant."

Patch's eyes widened and I saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. He looked at my face, then at my stomach, then back up to my face. A hesitant smile spread across his face and he let out a surprised chuckle.

I smiled and cupped his face with my hands. "We did it. We're going to be parents."

Patch smiled bigger and brushed an auburn curl away from my face. "Of course we did it. It's because you're so amazing."

Blush crept into my cheeks as I heard Dr. Griffin clear her throat. "Well, Mrs. Cipriano, you seem to be about 5 weeks along, which means the baby is about the size of… well, a sesame seed. This explains why you've been throwing up so often. Some other symptoms you may have encountered are fatigue, frequent urination, and sore breasts."

I nodded. "I've been peeing every couple of hours and I've slept in a lot."

_Your breasts were sore last night too_, Patch mind-spoke to me, chuckling in my head.

I shot him a look and he had to avoid my gaze to keep from laughing out loud.

Dr. Griffin was too busy looking at her charts to notice our exchange. "Well, I'm going to give you prenatal vitamins that you need to be taking once a day, every day. You baby is growing at a fast pace right now and we don't want anything interfering with that," she said with a generic smile.

I nodded and looked at Patch, who was now paying attention to everything the doctor said. If I knew Patch, I was almost positive he was thinking about ways to keep me and our baby safe. He always acted as if I was made out of glass. Now, with a baby growing inside of me, he was going to be extra cautious.

Dr. Griffin looked up from her charts. "I'd like to see you again when you're about ten weeks along. So, make an appointment for five weeks from now?" I nodded, and she tucked the clipboard underneath her arm. "Well, I guess you're free to go, then."

I smiled and swung my legs over the side of the hospital bed, taking Patch's hand when he offered it to me to help me up. "Thank you so much, Dr. Griffin. You have no idea what this means to us. We've been trying to have a baby for over a year now," I said, shaking her hand.

She smiled at me. "Well, of course. I never thought it was even possible for a Nephilim and a Fallen Angel to get pregnant."

I felt all color drain from my face as I stared at her.

I heard Patch's voice, harsh and accusing, come from beside me. "How did you know?"

Dr. Griffin laughed. "I can't believe you didn't sense me. I'm a Nephilim."


	5. Chapter 5

I just stared at Dr. Griffin, shocked. I couldn't move, couldn't think. I could barely breathe. I was probably the only Nephilim ever to not have a problem with fallen angels. Having Dr. Griffin standing so close to Patch put me on edge. I didn't want to know what would happen next.

Dr. Griffin laughed, patting me on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Nora. I'm not going to hurt anyone. The war is over with, isn't it? Patch is the last fallen angel on earth, as far as I know."

Patch grabbed my hand, trying to ease me back behind him. "How did you know my name?"

"Hm?"

"You just said my name was Patch, but we never told you that."

"Oh, nearly every Nephilim knows you, Patch. You're practically legendary."

Patch stiffened, and I could almost hear the gears in his head trying to process the information.

_Patch, this may be a good thing_.

He turned to look at me. _How?_

_She knows what we are, and if anything is… different about our baby, we don't have to hide it from her._

Patch turned back to Dr. Griffin, silent for a moment. Finally, he spoke. "Listen, Dr. Griffin—"

"Please, call me Katherine."

Patch's grip on my hand tightened. "Katherine, we don't really know what our child could be like, and we really don't want to have to explain any abnormalities to a human doctor…"

"Of course, I'll be sure that I'm the one taking care of you throughout this entire pregnancy."

I smiled, relieved. "Thank you, Katherine."

She returned the smile. "No problem, Nora. See you in five weeks."

**_~Two Weeks Later~_**

"Ugh…" I groaned as I got up from the couch, shuffling towards the bathroom.

"Angel, what's wrong?" Patch called after me.

"I have to go pee again!"

"Do you want me to pause the movie?"

"Yes please!"

Once I was done using the restroom, I shuffled my way back to the couch in our dark living room. The only light in the area was what was coming from our flat screen television that was mounted on the wall. I slumped into the couch cushions and snuggled my way into Patch's side. He slung one arm around my shoulders and one hand on my stomach. It was the usual thing he did now. He was protective before, but if anything even dared to touch my stomach now, he would flip out.

Patch had the nerve to smirk at me and say, "How many times have you gone to the bathroom since we started this movie? Three?"

I swatted his chest, grimacing. "Not funny Patch. How about you try being pregnant and see how you like it?"

Patch chuckled and kissed my hair. "I'll leave that up to you, Angel."

I pouted for a moment before Patch pressed the play button and the movie resumed. The movie was one of my favorites, _The Shawshank Redemption_. We were near the end of the movie where Andy Dufresne digs his way out of the prison.

Patch snorted. "That guy had it easy."

I turned to him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How so?"

Patch turned to me with a smirk. "That guy had to dig his way out of prison. I had to go to hell and back."

I couldn't help but laugh. Patch chuckled and rested his head on top of mine as we went back to watching the movie. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, I felt Patch picking me up in his arms and carrying me up the stairs.

I groaned and opened one eye, looking up at Patch. "I wanted to watch the ending…" I muttered sleepily.

Patch smiled. "Maybe tomorrow, Angel. You're tired, and you need your rest."

"But Paaaatch…"

Patch chuckled and shook his head. "No 'but's missy. You're carrying _my_ baby and that means I at least have some say in what you do."

I smiled crookedly and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so it's just your baby? Not mine?"

Patch shook his head. "Nope." He popped his lips on the 'p' to make it more pronounced. He couldn't hold his straight face for long because a wide smile spread across his face.

I sighed and buried my head in his chest as he walked into the bedroom. I don't know how he managed it, but somehow he pulled down our black silk sheets and comforter and slipped underneath them, all while holding me. He just kept me in his lap and pulled up the blankets around me, caressing my hair. I smiled, half asleep, but struggling to stay awake.

"Patch?"

"Hm? Do you need something, Angel?" He sounded tired too.

I shook my head. "No. I just wanted to tell you that I love you."

That aroused a light chuckle from him. "I know. I love you too, Angel."

And those were the last words I heard before drifting to sleep.

_However, shortly after falling asleep, I slipped into some sort of dream state. It felt so real, but it was as if I was a ghost, watching everything happen before my eyes, but not being able to do anything. I was walking through Delphic, the old place Patch used to live under. Somewhere in the distance, I heard a baby crying. I chased after the noise, trying to locate the source, but every time I got close, the crying would shift locations. It was as if the baby was being transported from place to place in a matter of seconds. The crying slowly got more and more frantic until it was almost like screeching._

_I groaned, turning to one of the people around me: a man in his mid-thirties. "Don't you hear it? The baby?"_

_But it was as if they couldn't hear me. I repeated myself, but still, no reaction. _

_I walked up to another person: a girl who couldn't be any older than me. "Could you please help me find that baby? The one that is crying?"_

_Again, no response. _

_I ran to one person after another, trying to get them to help me find that baby. It was wailing now, louder than ever, but I still couldn't find it. Suddenly, I ran into someone. On reflex, I went to apologize, but as I turned to say it, I recognized her. It was Dr. Griffin._

_I sighed in relief. "Dr. Griffin! Please, you have to help me! I've been hearing this baby crying, but I can't find it! Could you please help me look for it?"_

_Dr. Griffin smiled. "Nora, don't worry. The baby is fine. Everything will be fine."_

_I furrowed my eyebrows. "But, the baby, it's crying…"_

_Dr. Griffin shook her head. "No, Nora, I'm taking good care of your baby."_

My eyes flew open and I was gasping for air. My hands flew out to grasp something tangible, to assure myself that this was real. The first thing I grasped was Patch's t-shirt. I must have startled him because he was awake too, looking at me with a frightened expression.

"Nora! Angel… What is it? What's wrong? Are you in pain? The baby?"

I shook my head, placing a hand over my rapidly beating heart. "No, no, I'm fine. The baby is fine. Just a dream… It was all just a dream."

Patch let out his breath, obviously relieved. "Oh thank god. I thought…" He shook his head.

I did my best to smile at him. "No, Patch, nothing is wrong."

Patch nodded, then looked at me curiously. "The dream… do you want to talk about it?"

I bit my lip, and then shook my head. "No, it's okay. It was nothing. Go back to bed."

Patch looked at the clock on our bedside table. He looked back at me, smirking. "Nora, it's nearly noon."

"What?!" I shouted, scrambling to sit up. I looked at the clock. Sure enough, it was eleven minutes until noon. I had slept nearly all morning. I frowned and looked at Patch. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Patch smiled and shrugged. "I don't know. You just look so peaceful while you're sleeping." Patch's smile disappeared and he became serious. "Which is why you nearly gave me a heart attack when you suddenly woke up like that."

I sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me."

Patch's usual smirk crept up on his face. "No more chocolate covered potato chips before bed for you, Angel."

My eyes grew wider, horrified. "But Patch, I love chocolate covered potato chips!"

Patch shook his head. "No, you're craving chocolate covered potato chips. You never used to eat them before this little guy showed up." He reached out and touched my stomach.

I was about to protest, but my stomach rumbled underneath Patch's fingers. He smiled. "Hungry, Angel? You did sleep through breakfast."

I nodded. "Sure, I could go for some breakfast."

Patch chuckled and got up, pausing to adjust his black sweatpants that hung dangerously low on his hips. He looked back at me, offering me a hand. I took it and slid out of bed. As soon as my feet touched the floor, I suddenly became nauseous. I ran towards the bathroom.

Patch followed me in, making sure to hold my hair away from my face as I got sick in the toilet. As I got a break from heaving, I tried to push Patch away. "Go away. You shouldn't have to see me like this."

I could almost hear the smile in his voice. "Now what sort of soul mate would I be if I knocked you up and didn't hold your hair back when you got morning sickness?"

I groaned. "Morning sickness? More like all day sickness."

Patch chuckled.

I heaved again into the toilet bowl. Once my mouth was clear, I muttered, "This sucks."

Patch sighed heavily. "I know, Angel. But Dr. Griffin says that you only have to wait until you're fourteen weeks along and then all the morning sickness will be gone."

I groaned. "I'm only seven weeks pregnant. I have seven more weeks to go?"

Patch hesitated before answering. "I'm sorry, Angel, I wish I could make this better for you."

I couldn't answer before the next wave of vomiting hit. This really did suck.

* * *

**Sorry for the slight delay in this chapter, guys. I had a family issue that needed to be taken care of and I didn't have time to write. But I made this chapter longer, so I hope you'll forgive me! **

**-Katie**


	6. Chapter 6

Finally! The day had come to see Dr. Griffin again. I was officially ten weeks pregnant and I had scheduled my appointment for this day. I never knew how aggravated I would get waiting to see the doctor. Normally, I would stay far away from any hospital whatsoever. But I was pregnant now, and I didn't want anything going wrong with the baby. Neither did Patch, for that matter. In fact, the morning of the appointment, he woke up at six thirty in the morning and couldn't fall back asleep because he was anxious about the appointment. He started shuffling things around in our room at around seven thirty, arousing me from my sleep.

At the sound of the bathroom cabinets opening and closing rapidly, I slowly opened on eye, peaking over at the bathroom door. "Patch?"

His head popped out from behind the door. "Oh, hi, Angel. What's the matter?"

My other eye slowly opened and I stared at Patch. "What'cha doing?" I mumbled sleepily.

Patch shrugged. "Organizing."

"Organizing?"

He smirked sheepishly. "Yeah, why? A man can't organize his bathroom without having his motives questioned?"

I rubbed my eyes. "Patch, it's early."

"So?"

"So, you woke me up."

"Go back to bed." He ducked back behind the door, opening another cabinet.

"Are you going to be making more noise?"

I heard him chuckle. "Possibly. I'll try to be quiet."

But despite trying to go back to bed, I couldn't. I groaned and shuffled my tired body over to the bathroom doorway. "Why are you up so early anyways?"

He was arranging the soap and shampoo bottles in the shower, but he paused. After a moment, he shrugged. "I don't know."

I smiled, noticing how he continued moving, shelving different shampoos in certain spots. "You only keep your hands this busy when something is on your mind."

I noticed the hesitant glance he gave me. "What's your point, Angel?"

I reached over and took a soap bottle from out of his hand. This made him stop and look at me, although he had his poker face on. I couldn't really tell what he was thinking. I sighed. "I want to know what you're thinking about."

Patch looked at the soap bottle in my hand and took it from me, placing it back with the others. He then took my hand and lead me back to bed. He sat down and pulled me into his lap, one arm behind my back, one hand on my stomach, as usual. He looked at me seriously. "I don't know what you want me to say, Nora."

"Just tell me what's on your mind."

I felt his hand move on my stomach, tugging the t-shirt fabric, and he smiled a little. "This little thing. This… baby. That's what is on my mind."

I smiled. "What about our baby?"

Patch rolled his eyes. "We go to see Dr. Griffin today, Nora."

I nodded. "I know."

Patch's gaze trailed down to my stomach. "I guess I'm wondering what we'll find out."

I reached up and ran a hand over his head, through his black curls. "Well, Dr. Griffin said that we'd be able to hear the heartbeat on the monitor today."

Patch's head turned sharply. "When did she say that?"

"When I talked to her on the phone."

"When was that?"

"A few days ago, I guess." I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why?"

"Why did you talk to her?"

"Because she called to remind me of my appointment," I said simply, giving him a quizzical look.

Patch looked back at my stomach. "Oh. I thought maybe you talked to her about something important."

I shook my head. "No, just a reminder call."

I heard Patch sigh as he was looking at my stomach, his hand moving in tiny circles on it. I smiled, looking at the way he stared at the tiny bump that was just starting to form. It was like he was in awe, but a little bit scared at the same time. And definitely protective. Nobody could deny that he looked protective. I wondered what he would do if we had a girl, what he would be like when she started dating. It would never be easy for her, that's for sure.

**_~Later that Morning~_**

I growled, pulling off the last of my jeans that didn't fit. I folded my arms across my robed bosom, staring at the pile of jeans that I had thrown in the bed. I heard a chuckle behind me and turned to see Patch watching me from the doorway, leaning against the frame.

I frowned. "What's so funny?"

He smiled. "Can't find anything to wear?"

I looked at our bed, covered in my denim jeans. All of them. "Oh, I _found_ clothes. I can't find any clothes that _fit_."

Another chuckle. "Why don't you wear something with an elastic waistband?"

I shot a glare at him. "Because I don't want to. I want to wear my jeans."

Patch walked over to the bed, pulling up a pair of jeans and examining them. "Well, Angel, I hate to break it to you, but… you might need to wear something else."

I frowned. "Like what? I like my jeans. I'm comfortable in my jeans."

Patch smirked at me, walking over to our walk-in closet. After a minute of searching, he came out with a long, flowing maxi dress. "How about this?"

Glancing back at the pile of my jean on the bed, I growled and snatched the dress from his hands. Pulling off my robe, I changed into it quickly. I felt uncomfortable and out of place as I glanced at myself in the mirror on the wall. I turned to Patch, my lips falling into a puppy-dog pout. "I miss my jeans and t-shirt."

Patch couldn't help but laugh. "Well, after our appointment with Dr. Griffin, we'll go out and buy you maternity clothes. How does that sound?"

I bit my lip. "Scary."

Patch tilted his head. "Why?"

"Because now I know I'm starting to get fat."

Patch burst out in laughter as I pouted at him. I didn't want him laughing at me. To me, it wasn't funny in the slightest. Once he had enough breath to speak, he walked over to me, pulling me into his arms. He planted a kiss on my forehead, and I felt his hands rub my back gently. "Nora Cipriano, you are not getting fat. Your body is adapting so that you can carry our baby. You're pregnant," he said, smiling. "What did you expect to happen?"

I shrugged, burying my face in his chest. "I know, I know. But a woman can dream, right?"

He chuckled, pulling away, but taking my hand. "Are you ready now?"

I nodded, and we went down the stairs. I went to go pick up my converse tennis shoes, but Patch beat me to it, holding them in his hands. I raised an eyebrow. "What do you think you're doing?"

He smiled, with a hint of sheepishness. "Sit down, I'll put on your shoes for you. You shouldn't be bending over."

I rolled my eyes and snatched the shoes out of his hand. "Nice try Patch, but until my stomach is too big for me to see my feet, I'm still putting on my own shoes."

He frowned momentarily, but I ignored him, slipping on my shoes. I knelt down and tied my shoes, double knotting them as always. I stood up, looking at Patch before sticking my tongue out at him like a child. This at least made him smile.

"Ready?" I asked, reaching out for his hand.

"Ready," he confirmed, taking my hand and squeezing it tightly.

* * *

**Hi guys! Sorry this chapter is mostly fluff, but I wanted to show how Nora and Patch are reacting to the changes of her pregnancy. I hope you like it anyways.**

**And I need a quick favor from you all! I want you to leave a review, telling me what gender you want Nora and Patch's baby to be! I'll tally up your answers and decide from there. PLease leave a review, I love knowing what you guys think!**

**-Katie**


	7. Chapter 7

Once we were called in from the waiting room at the hospital, Patch and I followed a nurse back into a private room where Dr. Griffin would be there to meet us. While we were waiting for her, I lied down on the exam table and Patch took a seat beside me. Patch took my hand and squeezed it gently, staring at the door. After a few moments and a little small talk, Dr. Griffin came in.

She smiled at us. "Hello there. So, how is everyone doing?"

I returned her polite smile with one of my own. "We're good. I had a little trouble this morning finding clothes that fit, so that's why we were a little late." I blushed sheepishly.

Dr. Griffin chuckled. "Of course, that is totally expected right around now. You should probably go out shopping for some maternity wear soon."

I nodded. "We're doing that right after this appointment."

Dr. Griffin nodded once, then went to work, taking my blood pressure and so on. "Well, everything seems normal with you, now let's check on what the baby is up to."

I felt Patch lean in closer beside me, obviously anxious to observe the baby. Dr. Griffin asked me to pull up my dress over my stomach, and I obliged reluctantly. I was never quite comfortable with doctors seeing me exposed. Dr. Griffin then took out a bottle of some sort of gel.

I arched my eyebrow. "What is that?"

Dr. Griffin looked at the bottle. "It's a gel that allows us to scan over your stomach and see the baby clearer. A small warning though, it may be cold."

Her warning was not a joke. As soon as that gel hit my stomach, I sucked in a sharp, surprised breath. Patch's hand tightened around mine, his other hand rubbing my arm soothingly. Dr. Griffin then rolled over a machine with a small screen on top, and I assumed it was the ultrasound machine. I tried to relax, but my heart was nearly beating out of my chest. As soon as the picture on the screen showed up, I nearly cried. There, in the middle of the screen, was a gray little blob in the shape of a tiny baby.

Dr. Griffin smiled. "There it is. Baby Cipriano."

I smiled and turned my head towards Patch. His eyes were glued on the screen, a small smile on his lips. I swear I could see his eyes glistening with tears, but I wasn't sure. He looked to be in total awe, staring at the tiny baby that was inside of my abdomen. After a minute he noticed me staring at him and he blushed a little bit, smiling wider. "That's our baby, Angel. That's our little baby."

I giggled a little bit, reaching out to touch his cheek. "Yes, it is. We made that little thing, you know."

Patch glowed with pride, then looked at Dr. Griffin. "When can we know what gender it is?"

I shook my head. "Patch, why can't we keep it a surprise?"

He smirked at me, running a hand over my hair that fanned out behind me on the exam bed. "Because I'm impatient, and I want to stop calling it 'thing' or 'it'. It's a person, Angel, not an object."

I sighed. "Fine," I grumbled.

Dr. Griffin smiled. "We won't know until around sixteen weeks into the pregnancy."

Patch groaned. "That long?"

I laughed, rubbing Patch's muscular shoulder. "It's not too far away, Patch. Just two weeks into the second trimester."

Patch sighed, looking back at the screen which held the image of our baby. It was so small, the tiny little figure. Suddenly, I heard a fast thumping coming from the monitor, and my eyes widened. "What is that?"

Dr. Griffin smiled. "That, my dear, is your baby's heartbeat. It's nice and strong and healthy."

I sighed in relief. "That's amazing."

Dr. Griffin nodded, then looked at Patch. "You know, with your heightened hearing senses, you could probably hear the heartbeat by laying your head against her stomach."

Patch's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

Dr. Griffin nodded, wiping off the gel on my protruding abdomen and putting away the ultrasound machine. Patch looked at me hesitantly, and I nodded, smiling from ear to ear. Ever so gently, he rested his head against my stomach, his ear pressed up against my skin. He was facing me, and he looked so concentrated. I stayed perfectly still, staring at him while he listened hard. After a moment of pure silence, he smiled widely. "I think I can hear it. It's fast, like a hummingbird's wings."

Dr. Griffin nodded, watching the spectacle. "That's right. Now you can listen to your baby and see if anything is off."

Patch sighed, closing his eyes and keeping his head on my stomach. "Wow, this is amazing. I wish you could hear this, Angel."

I laughed, running my fingers through his black locks. "You get to hear her heartbeat, but I get to feel her move first."

Patch straightened up, frowning. "Will I be able to feel her at all?"

Dr. Griffin smiled. "Of course, it will just take some time for her movements to be detectable through the skin. Nora, however, with her heightened senses, could feel the baby move probably by the end of this week."

It was my turn to look shocked. "Really? That early?"

Dr. Griffin nodded, writing something down on her charts. "Yes, most women can feel the baby's movements at sixteen weeks, but I figure with your senses, you may feel it a lot earlier. Just my prediction."

I nodded, putting on hand on my abdomen. After a few more minutes, Dr. Griffin said that we were free to leave. I pulled down my dress and stood up from the table, and went out the door with Patch. We went to his car, a black SUV, and set out to the maternity clothes store.

As we were driving, Patch looked at me cautiously. "Do you feel anything yet?"

I laughed. "No, Patch, I don't. Why do I have the feeling I'll be hearing that question a lot from you though?"

Patch smirked. "Don't patronize me, Angel." After a short pause, he bit his lip. "Are you going to call your mother now?"

I sighed. "I did say that I would tell her after we heard the heartbeat, didn't I? I'll call her and tell her right now."

I took out my cell phone and dialed her number, waiting for her to pick up. After about three rings, she answered.

"Hello? Nora?"

"Yeah, it's me, mom," I said shakily.

"Is everything alright, dear?" She sounded concerned.

I took a deep breath, glancing at Patch, who I'm sure was listening to our conversation closely. "Yeah, Mom, everything is fine. More than fine. I—well, we, have some great news for you."

After a short pause, my mother asked anxiously, "Well, what is it?"

"We're pregnant."

I had to hold the phone away from my ear to muffle the sounds of her excited scream. I looked at Patch, who was trying not to laugh. Once my mother's yells diminished, I put the phone back up to my ear. "Well, that's amazing, sweetheart!" She obviously was very excited. "How far along are you?"

I smiled. "Ten weeks."

"You waited this long to tell me?!"

"We wanted to wait until we heard the baby's heartbeat before we told anyone."

My mother laughed. "Of course. Well that is great news honey! Are you showing yet?"

I looked down at my belly, and Patch rested his hand on it, the other hand on the wheel. "I am starting to show. We're going to get maternity clothes now."

My mother sighed. "I wish I could see you. You know I don't get back from another week."

I nodded, knowing my mother was on a business trip. "I know."

"Could you send me a picture of your baby bump?"

I rolled my eyes, looking at Patch. "Yeah, I'll have Patch take one of me later. And I'll scan the ultrasound photo with it."

I heard my mother clapping. "Oh, wonderful, Nora! Well, I have to go. I need to finish working."

My mother and I said goodbye and I hung up. "Well, she took that well," I mumbled, looking at Patch.

He smirked. "Of course. She's excited for us, Angel. And remember, she doesn't hate me anymore," he said with a glint of humor in his eyes.

We pulled up to the maternity store, and Patch parked the car. Once inside the store, I was immediately overwhelmed with the abundance of clothes. A sales associate came up to me.

"Hi, welcome to Motherhood Essentials. How can I help you today?" Her voice was high and overly friendly. Her eyes shifted to Patch, appraising him. I wanted to roll my eyes.

I smiled instead. "Looking for some new clothes. We're expecting," I announced, grabbing onto Patch's hand territorially.

Her smile faltered for a second, but it was up almost instantaneously. "Of course. Well give me a shout if you need anything."

After she walked away, I heard Patch chuckling behind me, and I turned to face him. "What?"

He pulled me into a hug, his head resting on top of mine. "I will always be yours, Angel. Haven't I proven that already?"

I pouted, wrapping my arms around his hips. "Doesn't mean I like girls looking at you like they want you."

Patch chuckled, stepping away and looking around. "Well, shall we get shopping?"

I nodded, sighing heavily. "Great, my favorite thing to do: shopping," I said sarcastically, pulling at the first item I saw. It was a frilly pink top with a lot of ruffles. I frowned and put it back.

Patch had wandered off, and I walked up to him. He pulled out jeans from the rack, but they didn't look like normal jeans. They had a thick black maternity band around the waist. Patch smiled. "At least they're jeans."

I nodded, and Patch hung them over his arm. After a few rounds around the store and about an hour in the dressing room, we left the store with four bags full of clothes. As we got in the car, I noticed Patch was chuckling.

"What?" I asked curiously.

Patch glanced at the bags that he had put in the back seat. "I'm surprised we got so much shopping done."

"I know. My feet are killing me."

Patch's hand moved to my baby bump, the other hand on the wheel. "I'll give you a foot massage when we get home."

"Promise?"

He smiled. "I give you my oath."

* * *

**This one is a long one you guys! I hope you enjoyed it. Keep leaving those lovely reviews, I always want to know what you guys want. :P So far the gender you guys want is a GIRL! I'm not making any promises, and you guys can keep telling me what you want. Who knows what will happen? Anyways, please leave a review, and thanks for reading!**

**-Katie**


	8. Chapter 8

_I heard the music playing, the soft sound of trumpets echoing through the corridor. That marked fifteen minutes until I had to walk down the aisle. My heart was pounding as I sat in my dressing room in the chapel. I chipped away at my freshly painted nails, an old habit that would never go away. I wondered what Patch was doing right about now. I could imagine him sitting in his dressing room, relaxed and putting the finishing touches on his suit. I groaned and stood up, beginning to pace. Pacing was a lot harder in a long wedding dress, especially one with so much flowing fabric. I didn't get a form-fitting dress, knowing that by the time the wedding came around, my baby bump could have ballooned to massive proportions. And balloon it did. I looked to be about eight months pregnant as I glanced at the mirror in the room. _

_But that isn't right. Aren't I only three months pregnant? I'm only twelve weeks along…_

_As confused as I was, I continued pacing, waiting for Vee and my mom to come in and tell me my cue. They had left me alone to my thoughts and went outside to make sure Patch didn't sneak in. It was our wedding day, and the groom couldn't see the bride before the wedding, obviously. I continued to walk back and forth, chipping at my nails and clenching and unclenching my jaw._

_Suddenly, as I was about to give up and walk out of the room, I heard the door open behind me. "Thank God, I was starting to think—" but I stopped talking as I turned and saw it was Dr. Griffin, not Vee or my mom. "Dr. Griffin! What are you doing in here?"_

_Dr. Griffin smiled, but it seemed forced, unnatural. "Hello Nora. How are you?"_

_My hands rested protectively over my baby bump. "I'm fine. What are you doing in here?" I asked again, taking a step back. _

_Dr. Griffin laughed, but it wasn't a humorous laugh at all. It frightened me. "Nora, I'm here to take your baby away from you."_

_My breath caught in my throat and I backed up another step, only to be stopped by the wall. "What? Why?"_

_Dr. Griffin stepped closer. "Because your baby is the only child in the entire world born of a Nephilim and a Fallen Angel. It harbors abilities like no one has before."_

_My breath quickened. "You can't take my baby."_

_Dr. Griffin loomed closer, only a few feet away now. "Oh, but I am."_

_Dr. Griffin lunged for my stomach and I felt the sharp sting of her hands ripping apart the flesh there. _

I woke up with a loud scream, panting. I looked around, not seeing Patch in bed with me. A quick glance at the clock told me that it was late morning. Patch must have gone out. Alone and scared, I began to cry. Not just cry, though, but I sobbed horrifically. Nothing around would calm me down at all. My arms wrapped around my baby bump, creating a protective shield around my abdomen. I curled into a fetal position as I heard my sobs echo through the empty house.

Around a minute later, I heard the garage door open and Patch pull his car inside. I couldn't muster up the strength to go to him or to stop crying. I heard Patch open the door and call my name, but I couldn't answer. I only sobbed harder. Patch, no doubt hearing my cries, practically flew up the stairs and into our bedroom. I squeezed my eyes shut and buried my head in the nearest pillow. Patch ran to the bedside, working frantically to calm me.

"Nora?! Angel? Angel, please! What's wrong? Are you in pain? Do you need to go to the hospital? Should I call Dr. Griffin?"

"NO!" I shouted, horrified he would even suggest calling that she-monster. "I swear to god, Patch, if you call her, I will never speak to you again."

Patch groaned. "Please, Angel, tell me what's wrong. Don't make me beg you."

"I had… a really, REALLY bad… nightma-a-are…" I said between gasps, hiccups, and sobs.

Patch climbed into bed beside me, pulling me close to him and holding me tightly. I still had my arms wrapped protectively over my stomach as I sobbed into his chest. His hands rubbed my back and hair soothingly. He rocked me slowly, trying desperately to get me to stop crying.

"Angel, Angel, please… I'm here now, there is nothing to be afraid of," he whispered in my ear calmly.

After a few moments of reassuring words and gentle gestures, I had calmed enough to stop crying hysterically. The last of my tears were pouring out of my eyes, leaving me with an uneven breathing pattern and swollen, red eyes. Patch pulled back hesitantly, his dark eyes scanning my face.

"Are you feeling better, Angel?"

I nodded, unable to find my voice just yet. I cleared my throat.

Patch kissed my forehead softly. "Could you tell me about your dream?"

I sighed, summoning the courage to tell him everything. I poured out my story without any breaks, and he listened attentively the whole time. By the time I finished, I felt like I wanted to cry again, but held it back.

Patch swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. "You don't think Dr. Griffin is out to get our baby, do you?" He asked, his voice quiet.

I shrugged. "I never thought about it before, but it's possible. I mean, in my dream, she said our baby would have abilities that no other child has had before. Technically, this baby is seventy-five percent Angel. Who wouldn't want to obtain that?"

Patch nodded, looking away. After a moment, he sighed. "So what do we do? We don't know anything for sure. Dr. Griffin could be harmless. Maybe it's just your mind playing a mean trick on you."

I arched an eyebrow. "Are you willing to take that risk on our baby?"

Patch's head turned towards me quickly, his eyes hard. "Of course not."

I pursed my lips. "Then it's settled. I'll find a different doctor, and we'll cancel our next appointment with her."

Patch nodded, brushing away a lock of my hair from my face. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you and our baby safe, Nora. I give you my oath."

**_-That afternoon-_**

I was on a Skype call with Vee. We had already discussed my nightmare, and she had agreed that getting rid of Dr. Griffin was for the best. I had told her about my pregnancy the day after my ten-week appointment. She was, of course, ecstatic. We Skyped every other day now, because she wanted to keep tabs on my pregnancy.

"Well, stand up, babe! Show me that bump you're sporting!" She said excitedly.

I rolled my eyes, standing up and stepping back so that Vee had a good shot of my 12-week-old bump. I lifted my shirt and bulled down the black maternity band on my pants. "I'm officially three months pregnant as of yesterday," I announced proudly, turning sideways so she could get a profile shot of my growing abdomen.

"Wow, Nora, you're looking hot! You rock that belly bump."

I laughed, pulling my shirt down and sitting back in the office chair. "Thanks, Vee. How's little Gavin?"

Vee snorted. "Asleep, finally. That little man never wants to go to bed."

I remembered the time change and gasped. "Oh Vee, it's late there. You should go."

Vee shrugged. "I know, I'm getting sleepy anyways. Well, good night, Nora."

"Good night, Vee."

As I shut down the laptop, I rolled back from the desk. I went downstairs to find Patch in the kitchen, nibbling thoughtfully on a cracker.

I sat down at our kitchen table next to him. "Hey Patch. What are you up to?"

Patch looked at me and put the cracker down, dusting off his fingers from the crumbs. "Just thinking."

I smiled. "You've been doing a lot of that lately."

Patch rolled his eyes. "And let me guess, your next question will be 'what are you thinking about?', am I right?"

I laughed. "Good guess."

Patch smiled, but then he became serious again. He turned in his chair, facing me now. "Nora, you said that in your dream, we were getting married…"

I nodded, my expression shifting to curiousness.

Patch took a deep breath. "Well, what do you think about it? Getting married, I mean."

I arched an eyebrow. "What are you asking me?"

Patch slid his chair away from the table and bent down. He knelt on one knee and reached in his pocket, pulling out a black velvet box. With a bend of his wrist, he lifted the lid, revealing a small diamond ring. He smiled. "Nora, will you marry me?"

* * *

**SHOCKER! Keep leaving those amazing reviews guys. Tell me what you want to read about! Do you want Patch and Nora to go to the mall? Do you want them to see Nora's mom? Do you want Vee to come into town? Tell me any suggestions you have!**

**-Katie**


	9. Chapter 9

Automatic fear shot through me. A wedding? After my horrific nightmare that took place on the day we got married? My breath caught in my throat and I tried to swallow unsuccessfully. I opened my mouth, trying to form words, but the only thing that came out was air. Patch's happy face slowly faded, uncertainty crossing his expression. We had already sworn our love to each other through a blood oath, of course I would marry him. Marrying was much less of a commitment than a blood oath. I wasn't afraid of the commitment or the marriage itself. I was afraid of it being ruined by Dr. Griffin like it had been in my dream. An irrational fear in that moment, probably, but something in my head kept nagging at me not to ignore the warning of that dream.

I heard Patch clear his throat, trying to coax an answer out of me. I couldn't decide. I did want to marry him, I really did. But not because of that awful dream. I sighed, looking down at him with weary eyes. "Why?"

Patch looked confused. It probably wasn't the answer he expected. He probably expected a 'yes', for him to slide the ring on my finger and we'd be happy. But I wasn't happy. I was terrified. Patch stood up, snapping the lid on the ring box closed. He stood in front of me, staring down at me with hurt eyes. I never wanted to hurt him, but I was so terrified. "Angel, I just wanted us to be normal. I thought that's what you wanted; normal, right?"

I nodded, biting my lip. I did want that. I wanted it so badly. But… part of me was worried for normal. I had been abnormal for so long, I didn't think normal existed. I was waiting for the next Chauncey or Rixon or Hank Millar to show up and ruin my life again. Instability had become the normal in my life. I lived my life in fear that it would be shattered by another evil supernatural being.

Patch sighed, wrapping his arms around me. "Then what's the problem, Nora? I don't understand."

I groaned and rested my forehead against his shoulder. "I know you don't. I… I'm scared…"

Patch held me tighter, more protectively. "Why, Angel? The dream?"

I stayed silent for a moment before beginning. "Partially. A lot of it is that. But… I don't want what we have to be destroyed. I'm just sitting here waiting for the next bad guy to show up and mess with us."

Patch stiffened, and I heard him inhale slowly. "Like Hank."

I nodded. "Like Chauncey. Like… Rixon…" I hesitated, knowing Patch still felt betrayed by his former best friend.

Patch sighed. "There is no one left, Nora. No more Fallen Angels, besides me. There is no reason for Nephilim to cause a riot. You're safe, Angel. I won't let you be hurt. Not again."

I nodded, pausing a moment before sighing. "Then yes. Yes, I will marry you."

Patch looked down at me, a smile spreading across his face. "Really?" I nodded, and he laughed, picking me up and spinning me around. I smiled too, seeing how happy I made him. He suddenly set me down, as if he just remembered I had a baby inside of me. He looked horrified, as if he just killed our baby. He looked at me for help, for reassurance, for anything.

I laughed and patted my inflated stomach. "Patch, he's okay, I promise. He's fine."

Patch arched an eyebrow. "He?"

I shrugged. "It's better than calling the baby 'it', I guess."

Patch smiled. "What if it's a girl?"

I smirked. "Then she's going to have to deal with a very protective daddy, isn't she?"

Patch rolled his eyes and put his hand on my belly. "Any movement yet?"

I pursed my lips and shook my head. "Nope. I guess Dr. Griffin—" I cringed at her name, "was wrong. Nothing yet."

Patch's lower lip poked out slightly in a pout. I laughed. He looked down at my stomach, the crouched so that he was eye level with it. "Why won't you move for mommy?" He asked softly, rubbing my abdomen lightly.

I laughed. "Maybe he's just tired. It takes a lot to grow into a human being."

Patch smirked and looked up at me. "I don't think he's quite human, Nora. He has a Nephilim for a mother and an angel for a father."

I sighed. "You know what I mean."

Just then, my phone rang. Patch stood up and looked at me quizzically. I frowned and reached into my jean pocket, pulling it out and looking at the ID. It was my mom. I groaned, anticipating that I had to now tell her that I was getting married. I answered and held the phone up to my ear. "Hi mom."

"Hi Nora, dear. Just calling to check up on you."

I rolled my eyes, looking at Patch. He smiled. "Mom, I'm 25. I really don't think you need to check up on me like I'm a child."

I heard my mother sigh. "No, but you are carrying my first grandchild, so I expect an update every once in a while."

I laughed awkwardly. "Speaking of update…"

"What? Did you have another ultrasound? Is everything okay?" Her voice picked up an octave.

I smiled at Patch. "No, mom, everything is fine. Patch—"

She cut me off. "What did he do?"

"Mom, would you let me finish a sentence?!" I said, exasperated.

My mom cleared her throat. "Yes, sorry."

I reached for Patch's hand. "Patch proposed. We're getting married."

There was a slight pause before my mother shouted, "Finally! It's about time!"

I couldn't help but laugh. "What?"

"I mean, you two were about to have a baby without being married! Call me old-fashioned, but I was a bit concerned."

I rolled my eyes. "I know, Mom, you always wanted the traditional life for me."

"It's all a mother wants for her daughter, honey." She sounded almost smug.

"I know. By the way, when are you coming back from your business trip?" Her business trip had gotten extended before. I hadn't seen her in person for nearly a month. And I was happy to get off the subject of my marriage.

"I'll be back in two days, I promise. And the first thing I'm doing is coming to see you! I can't wait to see my little girl three months pregnant! Gosh honey, you have to be showing a lot now, aren't you?"

I smiled, looking down at my rounded belly, which Patch's hand was still on. I looked up at him. "Yeah, I've grown quite a bit."

"Oh, I can't wait to see! Anyways, got to run, hun. My boss is taking us out to dinner. Bye!"

She was already gone before I could say goodbye. I put my phone back in my pocket. Patch was busy looking at my belly. I smiled, loving how nurturing he was becoming. I tucked a stray curl of his hair back. "Patch, darling, the baby is still going to be there if you blink. It's not going to disappear."

Patch looked up at me, smirking. "Very funny."

I smiled, and then my stomach gurgled. I laughed. "Looks like he's telling me to eat."

Patch sighed. "Only if you can keep it down. I really hate seeing you get sick right after dinner."

I sighed, knowing he was right. I would probably just throw it up. Unless it was a safe food, like bread. "Can you at least make me some rolls?"

He nodded, raising an eyebrow. "Pillsbury?"

I grinned widely. "You know me so well."

* * *

**So sorry this chapter took so long guys, I went on a family road trip and didn't have time to write. Anyways, I hope you liked it.**

**So, this whole time I've been on break and had a lot of free time, hence the chapters being posted every day. However, I got back to school on Monday, and we have finals in a week. So sadly, my chapters will probably come a bit slower than usual. :\ I'm so sorry, if I could, I would write all day every day, but I can't. I hope you understand.**

**On a brighter note, leave suggestions for names! Please, no more "Angela" or "Angelica"... it's a bit cliché, don't you think?**

**-Katie**


	10. Chapter 10

"Patch, we're going to be late," I grumbled, staring at my phone. He was supposed to call when he was coming back home, since we were going to meet my mother at my old house. She still lived there, all alone now, but she said she didn't mind. She was gone a lot now anyways. Now she was back from her business trip, anxious to see us, and Patch was making us late.

My phone buzzed in my hands, and I immediately picked up. "Patch!"

"What? Is something wrong?" His voice sounded innocent.

I rolled my eyes. "Patch, we're going to be late to my mother's!"

"I thought you said we had to be there at three thirty," he said.

I sighed, letting my head drop into my hand. "No Patch, we have to be there at three."

"Well, I'm almost home. Don't worry Angel, we'll get there in time." He sounded exhausted.

I frowned. "Are you okay, honey?"

I heard him sigh. "I'm fine, Angel. Don't worry about it. I'm on our street now." And he hung up.

I pulled on my coat, slid into my shoes, and waited until I could hear Patch's SUV coming down the street. We lived in a pretty secluded area up in the hills, but we liked the sense of privacy. It made it easier to know when someone was coming, too, since nearly no cars made the venture up here. As I saw Patch's SUV pull into our driveway, I went out the front door and jogged to his car. I slid into the passenger seat and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Hi, Patch."

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and his hand naturally rested on my abdomen. "Hey Angel."

Not much was said during the thirty minute drive to my mother's house. I could tell Patch was thinking and I didn't want to interrupt him. Occasionally I would feel his thumb stroking my lower stomach, which made me smile. I would glance at him, seeing his face scrunched in thought. It made me curious, but I didn't ask. Finally, we arrive at my mother's house fifteen minutes late. I walked up the the front door and used the key I've had since childhood to let us in.

"Nora? Is that you?" My mother called, sounding like she was in the kitchen.

"Yeah, Mom, we're here. Sorry we're late, but Patch was late picking me up from the house." I gave Patch a small forgiving smile as I took off my shoes at the door.

Patch nodded. "Sorry Blythe," he called to her, taking off his shoes.

My mom came out of the kitchen and greeted us as we were walking down the hallway. She opened her arms for a hug from me. "Hi Nora, it's so good to see you again! I really need to stop going away so often."

I returned the hug. "It's okay, Mom, I understand."

My mom smiled and opened her arms to Patch. "And you, Patch. Don't think I'm going to let you by without a hug. After all, you are going to officially be my son-in-law soon!"

Patch grinned awkwardly at my mom and gave her a hug. I knew Patch was thinking about the hostile way my mother used to act around him. It was odd for us to see her so friendly towards him.

My mom pulled away, taking my hand and leading me into the kitchen. "I'm going to start making dinner now, hopefully it will be done in an hour. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

I nodded, glancing at Patch who was following behind me. "Yeah, I think we're getting hungry. What are you making?" I asked casually, hoping it wasn't anything that was going to make me sick.

"Pasta," my mother told me, raising her eyebrows. "Your favorite."

I bit my lip. "Can I just have noodles, then, Mom? I'm trying to stay away from anything that will make me sick."

My mom smiled. "Of course, I almost forgot! But you're at the end of your first trimester, aren't you? Shouldn't the morning sickness be going away?"

I nodded. "It has, but no need to trigger it again."

My mother nodded, smiling proudly. "Can I see your belly?"

I smiled, rolling my eyes at Patch, who was struggling not to laugh. I pulled up my graphic tee and turned sideways. I heard my mother gasp and she covered her mouth with her hands. I laughed. "14 weeks tomorrow," I said proudly, resting my hand on the top of my bump.

My mom stepped slowly towards me and her hand joined mine on my abdomen. "Nora, sweetie, you're pregnant!"

My eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "Uh, yeah mom, I thought you knew that."

My mom smiled sheepishly. "I guess it just hit me now."

We talked for a while and ate dinner. The pasta didn't make me sick, something that made Patch smile. He didn't like seeing me sick at all, so making the triumph of keeping my food down was great. Maybe this pregnant thing wasn't so bad after all.

**_-About a Week Later-_**

I was laying on the couch comfortably watching a movie with Patch. He sat on the floor in front of the couch near my head. I was laying on my back, but it wasn't too comfortable. As I went to shift on my side, I felt a sort of weird sensation in my stomach. At first I thought it was just my stomach rumbling, so I ignored it. Once I was situated on my side, I reached over and started to run my fingers through Patch's curls. He chuckled, knowing it was one of my favorite things to do. But my hand stilled a minute later after I felt the movement in my abdomen again, and I realized what it was. I smiled, removing my hand from Patch's hair and laying it against my stomach. Sure enough, the movement was there again. It felt like a gentle tickle from the inside, as if something was fluttering around inside of me. It was my baby.

"Patch…"

"Hmm?" he mumbled, watching the movie.

"Patch." I said again, this time more firmly.

He turned to look at me, our eyes locking. "What is it, Angel?"

I smiled. "He's moving."

His eyebrows scrunched for second. "Wha—" Then realization hit him, and he smiled. "Really? He's moving?" Patch turned his body towards me and eagerly put a hand on my bump.

I nodded excitedly. After another still moment, the baby moved again. "There, that was him. He just moved.

Patch frowned. "I didn't feel anything."

Smiling widely, I patted his head. "Honey, you probably won't be able to feel anything until he's bigger."

Patch leaned in and pressed his ear against my bump. Listening to the heartbeat of our child was one of his favorite things to do. He sighed happily. "It's like a little drum…"

I ran my fingers through his hair as he listened to our baby. "I hope he has your hair…" I mused quietly.

Patch smiled, his eyes drifting closed. "What if it's a girl?"

I bit my lip. "I still hope she would have your hair."

Patch laughed. "Why not yours?"

"Have you seen my hair? It's like a tangled lion's mane."

Patch opened one eye. "I like your hair."

I smiled, twisting a black curl around my finger and watching the engagement ring on my finger sparkle. "Yours is better."

After a slight pause, Patch opened his eyes. "What gender do you want the baby to be?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I kind of want a boy, but I want a girl too. What about you?"

Patch smirked. "I just want it to be healthy. Boy or girl, it doesn't matter."

I smiled. "Which one do you want more?"

Patch laughed. "I'm not telling."

Just as I was about to ask again, the baby moved again. I chuckled. "Looks like the little one wants you to tell me."

Patch closed his eyes again, and I could tell he was listening to the heart beat. "I want a girl."

I pursed my lips. "Why?"

Patch gave me a lopsided smile. "Because I want her to be just like her mother."

**_-Another Week-_**

For the first the first time in a while, I got up before Patch. I let him sleep as I got dressed and ready for the day. I was a bit anxious because today was the first appointment with the new doctor, and the day we find out the sex of the baby. I never imagined time would pass by so quickly. I was really, _really_ starting to show now. I was worried about the wedding a bit too. Our goal was to be married in a month, when I was five months pregnant. Just a courthouse marriage, nothing in a chapel or church. We had set a date a while ago, but our priorities were not the marriage. Our priority was the baby growing inside of me.

Once I finished brushing my teeth and getting ready, I walked over to the bed and looked down at Patch. He was sleeping soundly, his mouth slack as the side of his face was smashed against the pillow. The covers had slid down during his sleep, leaving his muscular bare back completely exposed. I sighed when I saw his wing scars, and resisted touching them, knowing they could send me into a spiral of memories that I didn't have any choice to see. I gently knelt down next to him, touching his shoulder. "Patch, wake up."

He groaned, his face scrunching. He mumbled something unintelligible.

I smiled, brushing away a long piece of his curly hair. "Patch, darling, do you know what day it is today?"

He sighed and reached up to rub his eyes like a little boy does when their tired. "No," he mumbled.

"Today is the day we find out what gender the baby is, Patch," I said, running my fingers through his hair.

Patch's eyes opened wide immediately, and he gave me a tired smile. "Okay, I'm up. Let me grab a quick shower and then we can leave."

He crawled out of bed and headed towards our bathroom, stripping off his sweatpants as he went by me. I smiled. "Don't forget to use soap and shampoo!"

I heard him chuckle. "Naked. I know the drill, Angel."

I couldn't help but giggle as I sat on our bed, watching him wink at me before he closed the bathroom door. After about five minutes, he walked back out in just a towel around his waist. I laughed. "How do you shower so quickly?"

Patch shrugged and ran a hand through his dripping-wet hair. "I don't know, I guess it's a talent." His perfect teeth gleamed brightly behind his lips that were curled in a smile.

I shook my head, going to his dresser and throwing him his jeans, boxer briefs, and a black t-shirt. I smiled as he caught them all in one arm and I kissed his cheek. "I'll be downstairs."

Once I had my shoes and coat on, I looked up and saw Patch bouncing down the stairs. His hair was still damp, but other than that, he was ready. He pulled on his leather jacket and put on his tennis shoes. We went to the car and drove to the hospital.

As we were waiting in the room for the doctor to come in, I turned to Patch. "Make sure to sense whether or not he's a Nephilim."

Patch nodded and grasped my hand, the other on my belly. "Of course, Angel. I won't let anything happen to you or our baby."

Just then, the doctor walked in. He was an older man, probably in his fifties, and had gray hair. He looked professional, sporting a lab coat, black slacks, and a light blue shirt. He smiles at me. "Hello, Mrs. Cipriano! How are you feeling today?" His voice is cheery and definitely friendly.

I smile, but do a quick scan over him. I can't sense any supernatural vibe coming from him, and one look at Patch, I knew the doctor wasn't a threat. Patch was smiling too. I turned back to the doctor. "I'm doing well, thanks. And you can call me Nora." I stick out my hand for him to shake.

He takes it in a gentle grasp. "Nora, I'm so glad to meet you. I'm Dr. Greene. I see that you switched to me from Dr. Griffin. May I ask why?"

He means it innocently, but my smile falters. I clear my throat. "Um, I guess we just weren't compatible with her."

He nodded and smiled. "It's okay, it happens."

He did the normal routine, blood pressure, heartbeat, feeling my stomach. Once he was through, he nodded to himself. "Everything looks normal. Ready for the ultrasound?"

I nodded, smiling. "Ready as I'll ever be."

As Dr. Greene was wheeling over the machine, I looked over at Patch, who reluctantly drew his hand away from my bump. He smiled at me. _I bet it's a girl._ His voice was excited in my head.

I raised an eyebrow. _We'll see._

Dr. Greene turned on the machine and lifted up my shirt to expose my dome-like abdomen. He raised his eyebrows. "Do you two want to know the sex of the baby?"

I nodded, glancing at Patch, then back to Dr. Greene. "Yes, please."

Dr. Greene chuckled at the excited tone of my voice. "I see someone is anxious."

I nodded, biting my lip as the cold gel landed on my belly. Dr. Greene moved the mechanism around on my belly for a moment before the baby could be viewed clearly on the screen. I nearly broke down crying as I saw the tiny human being inside of me as they were sucking their thumb. My eyes watered drastically and I reached up a hand to wipe them away. I couldn't comprehend how such a tiny little thing could be so alive and look so human. I stared at the screen for a moment, listening as Dr. Greene pointed to each body part and named what it was. I heard a sniffle come from behind me and I turned to see Patch with watery eyes too. He looked at me and smiled sheepishly, wiping his eyes in embarrassment. I laughed and patted his shoulder. "Patch, it's okay. I know exactly how you feel."

Dr. Greene turned and smiled at us. "Can I tell you what gender the baby is now?"

I gasped and looked at Patch, who was now sitting attentively at my side and gripping my hand tightly. I looked back to Dr. Greene and nodded.

He smiled. "Congratulations, you have a baby girl."

I let out a surprised breath and smiled widely. I looked at Patch, who looked completely stunned. I touched his cheek. "Patch, you were right. We're having a little girl."

A slow smile spread across his face and he looked at me. "We're going to have a daughter?"

I nodded and he bent down and kissed me hard, right on the lips. I smiled a bit under his lips. I gently pushed him away, not wanting to make Dr. Greene feel awkward.

Dr. Greene printed out a few pictures from the ultrasound and gave them to us. He dismissed us and we walked back down to the car.

Patch smiled at me as we got into his SUV. "So, are we going to tell anyone?"

I pursed my lips as I buckled my seatbelt. "Um… no, I don't think so." I smiled. "It'll just be our little secret."

Patch laughed and put his hand on my belly. "You hear that, baby girl? You're our little secret."

I smiled, but my smile slowly faded as I remembered that we had forgotten something terribly important. We didn't have a name for her. I frowned and looked at Patch, who was pulling out of the parking lot. "Patch, can we run to the book store?"

His eyebrows furrowed, but he took the route to the closest book store. "Sure, Angel. Why?"

I smiled and rested my hand on top of his on my belly. "Because we need a baby names book."

* * *

**Okay, guys, you decided! It's a girl! The majority wanted their baby to be a girl, so there. Besides, I liked the idea of them having a girl. I just couldn't see them having a boy.**

**Keep those baby names coming! I think I have a name picked out in my head, but you may change my mind!**

**I made this chapter extra long to make up for the fact that I won't be posting as much when I return to school after today. So I hope you liked the long chapter!**

**-Katie**


	11. Chapter 11

"Arielle?"

"No."

"Auburn?"

Patch scoffed. "No."

"Autumn?"

A smirk played at his lips. "It's only the beginning of summer."

I frowned. "Ava?"

Patch shook his head.

"Azura?"

Patch laughed, and I frowned, crossing out the last of the "a" names on my list of potential baby names for our little girl. I sighed and flipped the page in my notebook. "Onto the 'b' names…" I mumbled unenthusiastically.

Patch groaned and rolled onto his side on our bed. We were semi-watching a show on television, but neither of us were really paying it much attention. Patch looked at me with pleading eyes. "Do we have to go through the entire alphabet?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Unless you have a better idea."

Patch glanced down at my 17-and-a-half-week baby bump, and his hand rested on it softly. "I think I know what I want to name her." His voice was soft and contemplative.

I raised an eyebrow, honestly curious now. "Oh, really? What is it?"

Patch looked up at me and smiled a bit. "Luciana. It means light."

I pursed my lips, thinking it over. Truth be told, it was a beautiful name. "Luciana Cipriano." I smiled. "Very Italian sounding."

Patch rolled his eyes and smiled at my bump. "Mommy is making fun of your name, Lucy."

I laughed and ran my fingers through his hair. "I like it. I really do. I think it suits her… even if I haven't officially met her yet." I smiled and continued to tangle my hand into his soft ebony curls.

Patch smirked triumphantly at me. "Then it stays, Angel."

I nodded, then looked back to my list of names. "Now she needs a middle name…"

Patch sighed and rested his head on my chest while he rubbed my abdomen softly. "You pick it. I did my part in picking out a name," he said, sounding sleepy.

I grinned and scanned over my baby name lists. I scratched off every single name on my list one by one when I realized that they didn't fit right. I frowned and tossed by notepad and pen to the side. Patch's hand stilled on my abdomen and he looks up at me from my chest. I sighed and pouted. "I can't come up with anything."

Patch smirked. "Nora Cipriano, you are no quitter."

I rolled my eyes, disappointed at myself. "Listen, Pat—"

Patch silenced me with a hard kiss right on my lips. His mouth formed against mine and his hot breath blew into my mouth. His tongue lightly swiped against my lower lip and my eyes rolled back lazily in my head. Patch crawled on top of me, continuing his attack on my lips. He was careful to support his weight so that he didn't crush me, but at the same time the pressure of his body on mine was exhilarating. As he leaned on one elbow, his other hand cupped the back of my neck, dragging my head up to meet his more forcefully. My hands held onto his belt loops firmly, holding his hips to mine. Slowly, Patch became less urgent, and the kisses slowed to soft sweeps of his lips across my cheek and jaw.

"I love you, Nora," he murmured seductively in my ear.

I felt his teeth graze my earlobe and I almost stumbled over my words. "I love you too," I breathed.

**_~A few days later~_**

"Nora!" Vee exclaimed as her video chat popped up on my laptop.

I smiled. "Hey Vee."

Vee was putting her long blond hair into a ponytail. "How's my lovely bride-and-mommy-to-be?"

"Not bad, actually. I can't wait to see you next week!" I said excitedly.

Vee laughed and bounced in her seat anxiously. "I know, babe! Our first reunion in… wow, has it really been two years already?"

I thought back to the last time I had seen Vee in person. Patch, Gavin, Vee and I had all went on vacation in Italy for a week almost two years ago. I frowned. "Yeah, it really has. I miss you!"

Vee smiled. "Aww, I miss you too! Now stand up and show me that bump!"

I sighed and rolled my eyes dramatically as I reluctantly stood up. It had become a ritual that once a week, I show Vee my baby belly. I stepped away from my desk and pulled up my shirt. "Eighteen weeks today," I said, resting a hand on my bump.

Vee squealed and clapped her hands, smiling brightly. "Oh, Nora! Look at you! You're glowing!"

I smiled and rubbed my stomach lightly. "You think so?"

Vee nodded enthusiastically. "I do!" After a short pause, I saw her face alter into a pout. "Are you sure you won't be telling anyone the gender?"

I laughed and shook my head, sitting down in my chair again. "Only Patch and I know it, Vee, so unless you can get it out of him, you're out of luck."

She crossed her arms over her ample chest. "I told you what Gavin was!"

My mouth curved up into a smirk. "Are you really saying that I owe you the privilege of knowing my baby's gender?"

This aroused a small smile from Vee. "Maybe." When she could tell I wasn't going to budge, she let out a sharp breath. "Fine. So have you guys started talking names?"

I nodded. "Patch came up with its first name, so that one is set. But it's up to me to me to come up with its middle name."

Vee raised an eyebrow. "Patch came up with its name?"

I laughed. "You're going to be surprised Vee. Patch has softened a lot since the last time you saw him."

Vee giggled. "I can't even imagine it."

I joined her giggles with my own. After a moment, we settled down. "So when are you flying in again?"

Vee held up a finger, signaling me to wait, and checked her calendar. "In exactly a week from today," she said, setting down her calendar again.

I nodded, smiling widely. "I seriously cannot wait to see you, Vee." I was shocked that she was coming to Coldwater in the first place. She swore never to come back.

Vee returned my smile with a grin of her own. "I know. I have to go, Nora. I hear little Gavin making a fuss with big Gavin. Bye!" She blew a kiss at the camera and the screen went black.

I stood up from my desk and walked downstairs to find Patch writing something down on a piece of paper and folding the paper into a small square. He slid it into his pocket and turned to see me standing behind him. He smiled and wrapped his arms around me. "Hey Angel. How's Vee?"

I didn't question about the paper and draped my arms over his muscular shoulders. "She's fine. Still kind of mad we won't tell her whether or not the baby is a girl or a boy."

Patch smiled. "It will be a nice surprise for everyone else."

I nodded and rested my head on his chest, my body pressing against his firmly. Suddenly I felt the baby kick the front of my abdomen pretty hard, right where Patch's stomach was against mine. Patch jumped and pulled back a little, looking at me with an alarmed expression. "What was that?"

I laughed in awe, knowing he felt the baby for the first time. "Looks like Lucy is trying to say hi to her daddy."

Patch's eyes grew wide as saucers and he looked down to my stomach and gingerly placed his hand there. Luciana stretched, her arm knocking against his hand with the lightest of touches. Still, Patch felt it, and he gasped. "That's really her? That's what it feels like?"

I pursed my lips. "Well, yes, that is her. But it feels different when she's inside of you. I can pretty much tell you where her arms and legs are based on how she's moving. It's… weird." I scrunched up my nose a bit.

Patch's eyes were still wide, but they were full of wonder and amazement. "Can… can you show me where she is?" His voice was quiet and subdued.

I smiled and grabbed his hand, placing it on my right side. "That should be where her head is." I moved his hand to the other side, slightly past my belly button. "That is where her feet are. That's what made that first kick that you felt." Patch's mouth straightened into a thin line as Lucy moved again against his hand. I smiled. "She's just stretching her legs."

Patch's brow furrowed and he looked up at me. "Does it hurt?"

I shook my head. "No, not really. She still has plenty of room to move, so it's still pretty light movement. When I get bigger is when it might hurt a little." Seeing the immediate guilt in his eyes, I smiled at him and reached up my hand to caress his cheek. "It won't hurt that bad, Patch. I promise."

Patch nodded and pulled me into his arms, resting his cheek on top of my hair. "Thank you, Angel."

I frowned, but embraced him in return. "For what?"

I heard him sigh, and I felt his chest inflate and deflate. "For carrying this miracle for me. Honestly, I've never witnessed anything more extraordinary."

I raised an eyebrow, despite the fact that he couldn't see my face. "Not even when you were an angel?"

Patch chuckled and his chest rumbled against my head. "Archangels themselves are not as miraculous as this baby, this _life_ growing inside of you."

I smiled and held him tighter. "I love you, Jev Cipriano." I felt Luciana move again, and I smiled even more. "Lucy loves you too."

He kissed the top of my head. "I love you both more than the world."

* * *

**So sorry I've been gone for nearly an entire week, guys! You know I would update more if I could! Between school, final exams, and being sick, I haven't had time to write much. But here's your chapter 11! I hope you enjoyed it.**

**And yes, the baby's name is Luciana! It was suggested by a few people, and I fell in love with it. Some of you may be wondering what the baby's middle name is. :) That will be kept a secret until... the baby is actually born! So you'll have to keep reading to find out.**

**And another thing I've been meaning to do for a while is give you guys my tumblr! I'm on there nearly 24/7 because I have the app on my phone, so you can always reach me there. My tumblr username is ktchthatkatie, just like my fanfiction username. :)**

**Please leave a review!**


	12. Chapter 12

"Nora!"

I whipped around to see Vee running towards me from the sliding doors of the airport. I had been sent to pick her up since her mother had other places to go. Not that Vee minded, obviously. I think she was more excited to see me than her own mother. Nothing had changed, apparently.

Really, nothing had changed about Vee either. She stilled looked nearly the same as the last time I saw her. She didn't look any older, probably some sort of Nephilim immortality thing. Her shape was still voluptuous, her curves accentuated by a belted dress. Only Vee would be that dressed up on a plane. Her golden hair spiraled down in tendrils of ringlets to just past her collarbone. She was a bit pale, but she had always blamed that on the British weather; the cloudy weather was a major topic of complaint for her. But she was still my best friend, my Vee.

I ran to her, smiling as she dropped her bags to give me a giant hug. "I missed you so much, Vee!"

Vee squeezed me tightly, almost to the point where I couldn't breathe, but I didn't care. We were together again. "I missed you too, Nora!" She exclaimed, pulling back and looking at me, her eyes zoning in on my baby bump. "Wow, it looks so much bigger in person!"

I roll my eyes, smirking. "Gee, thanks, Vee."

Vee looked horrified, trying to take it back. "That's not what I meant! I… I just… its growing and—"

I cut her off with a pat to her shoulder. "Vee, I promise you, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

Vee sighed and pressed her hand to her forehead. "Major facepalm. Anyways, you look great. You're positively glowing."

I smiled. "Thanks Vee." I went to go pick up her bags.

"Nora!" She yelled, startling me and causing me to drop her bags. I had forgotten just how loud she could be. Vee picked up all of her bags, frowning at me. "You aren't supposed to lift anything heavy while pregnant, you know that."

I shot her a disbelieving look. "How heavy could they be?"

Vee raised an eyebrow. "You obviously don't know how much I actually pack. I brought half of my clothes with me."

I rolled my eyes and popped open the trunk to my blue Volkswagon GTI. She lifted her bags in as I got into the driver's seat and buckled up. She slid into the passenger's seat, admiring the shiny black leather. I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?"

Vee smirked. "Present from Patch?"

I laughed. "Last Christmas, didn't I tell you?"

Vee shook her head. "Patch and his automobiles." I detected a hint of a British accent seeping into her voice, something that hadn't been there before.

I laughed. "Vee, we need to get you back into America more often. I think Gavin's accent is rubbing off on you."

Vee smiled. "I know. I can't help it! When you're around them so much, you just don't notice the change!"

We chatted away the whole ride home, never taking a breather. That was one thing we could always do well: talk. It was like nothing had ever separated us.

As I pulled into the garage, I noticed Patch's SUV was gone. I sighed and shrugged, walking into the house with Vee on my heels, talking about her son.

"He's says so much now. I can't believe my little man has grown up so fast!"

I nodded, smiling. "It seems like just yesterday that we were in high school, Vee."

Vee rolled her eyes. "I know. I feel old!"

We laughed as I guided Vee to the guest room, which was downstairs underneath the stairs. Our house had an interesting layout, but my favorite part had always been the location of the guest bedroom. The door was right underneath the stairs, and then it opened up into a large room. The light coming from the window that looked out into the backyard lit up the entire room.

I gestured to the bed. "Mi casa es su casa."

Vee narrowed her eyes at me. "You know I took French, not Spanish, right?"

I laughed. "My house is your house," I translated.

Vee smiled. "Thanks, babe. I'll unpack my stuff." She turned, about to unzip her suitcase, when she froze and then turned back. "Hey, where's Patch?"

I rolled my eyes and shrugged. "Who knows? I'll give him a call."

I walked out of the guest room and pressed Patch's speed dial on my phone. It rang once, twice, three times. After the fifth ring it went to voicemail: "You've reached Patch. You know what to do," his smooth voice said in the recording.

I sighed. "Patch, I picked up Vee from the airport. I was wondering where you were since you aren't at home. Call me back."

I hung up and went back into the guest room to find Vee putting her clothes into the empty wardrobe that we kept in the room. She turned and smiled at me. "Did he answer?"

I pursed my lips. "Nope."

Vee pretended to pout. "Doesn't he want to see his good old friend Vee?"

That made me smile a bit. "You know, it wouldn't kill you to stop poking fun at him."

Vee laughed. "It's what I do, Nora. You know I'm not serious."

After we had her all unpacked, I heard my phone ring. "Hello?" I answered.

"Hey Angel," his husky voice came from the other end.

I sighed. "Where have you been?"

I swear I could almost hear Patch smile. "Out."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. When are you going to be home?" Just then, I heard the garage door open and I hung up the phone.

I walked out of Vee's room just as he was entering the hallway. He smiled brightly as he did any time he saw me, but the light of the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. I frowned. "What's wrong?"

Patch's smile faltered. "What do you mean?"

"You look… upset or something."

Patch arched an eyebrow. "Do I?"

Vee walked out of her room and saw Patch. She smirked at him. "Hey stranger."

Patch nodded, a small smirk edging on his lips as well. "Hello, Vee."

"Glad I'm back?" Vee asked sarcastically.

Patch shrugged playfully. "I suppose so."

I rolled my eyes at their witty banter. "So who's hungry? How about we order some Pizza?"

Patch's face scrunched up in distaste. "Pizza?"

My eyebrows raised. "Since when do you oppose Pizza?"

Patch's eyes narrowed. "Since your cravings make you want to put chocolate sauce on top of it."

"It's good!" I looked to Vee, hoping for some backup.

Vee was grimacing. "Chocolate sauce? Really Nora?"

I scoffed. "Like your cravings were any better, Vee! I do remember you eating cake with pickles at the same time."

Vee swatted my arm. "Hey! That was only for like a day!... or a week…" She shrugged, trying to act nonchalant.

I sighed and looked back at Patch, who was smiling at us bickering. "What did you have in mind for dinner, then?"

Patch shrugged and pursed his lips. "Honestly, I just need some really strong Scotch right now."

I raised an eyebrow. "You haven't had a drink in a while. Something really is bothering you."

Patch gave me a warning look. "I'm fine Nora. I want you to stay out of this."

I glared at him. "I thought we were a team." Yes, we had made that agreement back in high school, but I had figured it carried into now.

Patch shook his head, running a hand through his messy black locks. "That was before you were pregnant, Nora. I'm not risking this baby."

My eyebrows furrowed. "_Risking_? What do you mean _risking_?"

By the look on Patch's face, I could tell that he knew he had been caught. He wasn't going to escape without telling me _everything_.

* * *

**WHOA! Plot twist. :) I hope you guys had caught the subtle hints I was dropping throughout this story enough to realize that this wasn't going to be a happy-go-lucky plot. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. **

**Leave a REVIEW! I love to hear your comments!**

**-Katie**


	13. Chapter 13

Patch's eyes shifted uneasily to Vee and then back to me. "Nora, listen—"

I cut him off. "Don't beat around the bush, Patch. You've been acting weird for a few months now. Tell me what's going on."

Patch sighed and looked down. "I've been trying to get information on Doctor Griffin."

My eyebrows scrunched. "Why? Because of my dream?"

Patch's eyes hardened into a look I hadn't seen since the war between the Nephilim and the Fallen Agnels. "Partially. To be honest, I knew something was off about her from the moment I met her, but you seemed to trust her."

I heard Vee's voice come from behind me. "Wait, who is Doctor Griffin? And what dream? I feel out of the loop."

I glanced back at her. "I'll fill you in on everything in a minute." I looked back at Patch, folding my arms across my chest. "So what did you find?"

Patch's dark eyes narrowed slightly. "She's been keeping tabs on us."

My eyes widened, and my heart nearly stopped. "What? How?"

Patch rubbed his lips together for a moment before speaking. "A lot of mind control. From what I can tell, she's gotten information out of the nurses at the hospital. May even have a copy of our records and appointment notes."

I felt all of the blood drain out of my face. I felt woozy and sick and the world was spinning around me. I closed my eyes, trying to regain my composure. I felt Patch's hand grasp my elbow firmly in an effort to keep me steady. I swallowed and opened my eyes, looking up worriedly at him. "She wants our baby, Patch. She wants to take it. I just know it."

Patch sighed and pulled me into his arms. "Shh, Angel. It will be alright. I'll protect you and our baby, I promise."

Vee's hand grasped onto my shoulder. "Me too, Nora. I'll protect you. Believe it or not, I can kick some ass." That made me smile a bit.

Patch planted a kiss on the top of my head and pulled away. Swiping a piece of hair away from my face, he looked into my eyes longingly. "So, you want pizza?"

I took a deep breath and nodded shakily.

Patch gave me a sad smirk. "Then pizza it is."

**_~Four Days Later~_**

"I don't know why this matters!" I called out to Vee grumpily. We were at my last fitting for my wedding dress. It was a long Grecian style gown that flowed over the curve of my baby bump. I had ordered it about a month ago, knowing the forgiving fabric would expand with my ever-growing belly. That was practically the only reason I bought it, too. If I had a choice, I'd be wearing jeans to my wedding.

I heard Vee sigh. "Nora, you have to wear a wedding gown on your big day! Which is in two days!"

I rolled my eyes, even though I knew she couldn't see me in the dressing room. "But I don't want to! And we're getting married in a court room with you and my mom as our witnesses. No one else." I grunted as I struggled with the zipper.

A second later the door opened with a flustered Vee standing in front of it. She hurried in and took the zipper from my hands and zipped it up. "That doesn't mean you can't look beautiful, Nora. And besides, Patch is wearing a suit!"

I grumbled to myself and stepped out of the dressing room, looking at myself in the mirrors. It was odd to see myself in a flowing white gown, even if it wasn't very elegant. It was simple, just how I wanted it. It wasn't like I'd be in front of a lot of people. Patch and I had few friends. Patch had more "business" partners than friends. I suppose he liked it that way. I never really dug into how he got his money, but I wasn't sure I wanted to know. He had always said he did odd jobs for people, never elaborated. I was fine with that, as long as it didn't hurt anyone and it was enough to live off of. Over the past few years I've had small jobs in restaurants, but I never liked being a waitress and like I said, Patch made enough money. I didn't have many friends either, mostly Vee. I'd never been a social person; that was always Vee's specialty. She was the one to drag me out to night clubs and to Delphic. I preferred to stay at home, read a good book, do some exercise.

Vee stepped up behind me. "Wow, Nora, you look gorgeous."

I pursed my lips and turned to the side. "I look like a whale."

Vee smiled and shook her head. "Everyone feels like that when they're nearly five months pregnant."

I frowned and looked back at her. "Why couldn't I just wait until after the baby is born to get married?"

Vee rolled her eyes. "It makes the whole legal obligations a lot easier with signing all of the custody papers and what not."

"But I already switched my last name to Cipriano legally," I whined.

Vee and I bickered for a while before the seamstress came out to make sure I was happy with the fit. Once everything was settled, I changed out of the gown and had it bagged up. I had to make sure once I was home to store it in a safe place, one where Patch wouldn't be tempted to open it. As silly as it was, I didn't want him to see the dress before the wedding. So I stored it in one of our spare closets, a space he wouldn't look. I heard Vee talking on the phone with Gavin, her husband, and I travelled into the kitchen. A note on the refrigerator caught my eye.

_Angel,_

_I've gone out to see what else I can learn about Katherine Griffin. Keep all the doors and windows locked, and keep Vee near you at all times. Not like that should be a problem for either of you. I'm surprised you aren't Siamese twins. _

_Anyways, if you need anything, call me. I'll be home at five._

_Love Always,_

_Patch_

I sighed and picked up my phone, speed dialing Patch.

"Angel? Is anything wrong?" He was whispering.

"Is this a bad time?" I asked.

"Not if something is wrong."

I sighed. "Nothing is wrong. I just missed you."

I heard him trying to stifle his laugh. "Bad day at the seamstress?"

"Yes," I grumbled.

Another stifled laugh. "I'll be home soon, Angel. I have to go," he said, and the line went dead.

I growled and looked at the clock. I had an hour before he got home. I decided to start cooking dinner. I looked through the refrigerator for my needed ingredients. I started the pot of water needed for the pasta and waited for it to boil. As I stood there watching the pot, Vee came up behind me and gave me a hug.

I laughed. "What was that for?"

I felt her shoulders lift in a hug. "I don't know. I guess I missed you more than I thought. I want you to come with me back to England."

I rolled my eyes and pried her arms off of me. "How about you move back to Clearwater?"

Vee bit her lip, looking away.

I sighed. "Right, memories."

She looked at me and nodded. "On the drive home, I saw where Scott and I had our first date. I know it sounds really lame, but it hurt to go past that place."

I looked down. "Do you ever wonder what would have happened if Scott lived?"

Vee nodded again. "All the time. But then I remember that if Scott hadn't died, you would have died instead. He died protecting you, Nora."

I closed my eyes, trying to block out her words. "I'm well aware."

Vee went quiet for a moment before speaking up again. "How about Scott?"

I looked up at her warily. "What?"

"You said Patch had already picked a first name for your baby, and you needed a middle one. Well, if it's a boy, how about Scott?"

The idea couldn't have been more perfect, except for the fact that I was having a girl, not a boy. I gave her a sad smile. "Thanks for the suggestion."

While I was cooking, Vee and I talked about baby names.

"Well, maybe Patch wants a Patch Jr," Vee said, laughing.

I rolled my eyes. "I am not naming my child Patch."

Vee was still laughing. "Oh right, that isn't his real name."

I shook my head. "Nope, Jev."

Vee rolled her eyes. "That is such a weird name."

I shrugged. "I like it."

Vee busied herself by setting the table. "Well I think it's weird."

I shot her a look as a timer went off and I drained the pasta. I heard the garage door open and I smiled widely. I knew Patch was home, and I couldn't wait to see him. I heard the door open and I set the strainer in the sink while I walked to greet Patch. "I'm so glad you're home, dinner is—" I stopped dead in my tracks when I caught sight of him. His shirt was torn and splattered with blood. His lip was split open and bleeding. His hair was a complete mess, with chucks of what looked like concrete mingled in. A bruise was starting to form across his scraped knuckles. I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand, unable to speak.

He gave me a half-hearted smirk. "Hi Angel. I, uh, ran into a bit of trouble…"

* * *

**Ohh, cliffhanger. What do YOU think happened? Leave a review. :)**

**-Katie**


	14. Chapter 14

I watched as Patch limped towards me. I was still frozen in shock. He winced, but still reached out for me. My hand was shaking over my mouth, but I managed to choke out a whispered, "What happened?"

Patch clenched his teeth. "Katherine Griffin happened. She had about twenty Nephilim buddies of hers surprise attack me."

My body slowly unfroze and I flew towards Patch, my arms winding around him tightly. I heard him grunt in pain and I flinched back. "Sorry!"

Patch smiled a little bit. "It's okay. They only got a few blows on me before I fought back."

I frowned and turned towards the kitchen. "Vee, grab me the first aid kit in the bathroom cabinet!" I called to her.

Vee walked out with a confused face, but once she spotted Patch, her eyes widened. "Okay," she said as she went towards the bathroom.

I helped Patch towards our couch and made him sit down. He winced as he hit the couch. I gave him a sad smile. "Are you sad now that Basso gave you the ability to feel?"

Patch smirked at me. "I would take this pain every day if it meant feeling what I feel when I'm with you, Angel. Besides, this is the first time I've actually felt real pain." It was true. I mean, he had cut his finger once or twice while cooking, but that was nothing. He had been lucky. Years of being able to feel and he hadn't felt bad physical pain until now. He wasn't clumsy like a human.

Vee returned with the first aid kit and gave it to me wordlessly. I rummaged through it until I found the rubbing alcohol and a clean washcloth. As I poured the rubbing alcohol on the cloth, I looked up at Patch. "This is going to sting, Patch."

He nodded and then winced as I pressed the cloth against his bloody knuckles. He then pursed his lips as he seemed to be thinking about something. I raised an eyebrow at him and he looked at me innocently. "What?"

"What are you thinking about?" I asked quietly as I wiped away the blood from his hands.

He gave me a small shrug. "The feeling. It's different than I've ever felt before. Even when I have gotten stabbed in my wing scars, it was a different sense of pain. It's hard to describe what it's like, but this is different. That's all."

I bit my lip and nodded. I reached back into the kit and pulled out bandages with some healing cream. I carefully wrapped his hand up. I looked up at him and saw the cut on his lip was still bleeding. I put a bit of the healing cream on my finger and touched my finger to his lip. His lips tipped up into a smirk, making his lip's cut open up more. My eyebrows furrowed. "Patch, keep your lips still for just one second. You're making the cut worse."

Patch rolled his eyes but settled his face into a relaxed state. I finished rubbing the ointment into his lip and sighed. One look at his shirt and hair and I knew he needed a shower. I stood up. "You need a shower. Go upstairs and take one. Throw away your shirt, and try not to get your bandages wet."

Patch chuckled and mockingly saluted me. "Yes, Dr. Nora."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "This isn't funny Patch. Griffin attacked you!" Up until now, I was still kind of in shock. Now it was starting to sink in. She had her minions attack Patch. Sure, Patch probably killed them all, but that wasn't the point. The point was that Griffin wasn't just a threat anymore. She was finally attacking. She was _hurting_ the ones I love. I started to breath faster and my heart rate picked up.

Patch stood up and pulled me into his arms, holding me against him tightly. "Angel, calm down. It's okay."

I shook my head in fast, jerky movements. "It's not okay, Patch! She hurt you!"

I heard Patch sigh and his hand ran over my hair. "Nora, I'm alright, I promise. Now, you need to calm down, it's not good for Luciana to feel you under stress."

Before I could say anything, Vee spoke up from behind me. "Luciana?! It's a girl?!" She asked excitedly.

I sighed and looked at Patch, who pursed his lips. "Whoops," he whispered.

I turned towards Vee and smiled. "Yes, it's a girl."

Vee smiled widely and clapped rapidly. "Yay! And Luciana is such a pretty name! Congratulations on having a baby girl!" She hugged me tightly.

I rolled my eyes but hugged her back. "You know you can't tell anyone, right?"

Vee pulled back and nodded vigorously. "Of course. I won't tell a soul. Pinky promise." She offered her pinky for me to shake like we did when we were little.

I smiled and hooked my pinky around hers. "Okay then, pinky promise."

Patch chuckled and sighed. "Well, I'm going to take a shower. Is dinner ready?"

My eyes widened when I remembered that my spaghetti sauce was still cooking on the stove. "Oh crap!" I shouted as I ran into the kitchen. Thankfully, the sauce hadn't burned. I turned the stove off and let the sauce sit for a moment. Patch and Vee both walked carefully into the kitchen, trying to assess any damage. I smiled at them. "Everything is fine. Dinner is ready."

Patch smiled. "I'll go take a shower and be right down."

As I dished out everyone's plates, I tried to ignore the aching feeling I had in my chest. I knew this was going to get worse before it got better.

* * *

**Sorry this chapter is short! I wanted to upload it quickly because so many people were anxious because of the cluffhanger in the last chapter. Anyways, leave a review. :) **

**-Katie**


	15. Chapter 15

"Nora?" Someone outside the door was calling my name. It sounded like my mom.

I looked at Vee and rolled my eyes. Vee shrugged and went to answer the door. "Yes, Ms. Grey?" She asked politely while I was trying to tame my hair. I had the curls twisted into an intricate up-do, yet that did nothing to tame the frizz that acted as a halo. I grumbled to myself and picked up a can of hairspray.

I saw my mom enter the room from my view in the mirror. "Nora, darling, everyone is ready in the court room."

I sighed as I sprayed my hair with a thick coat and tried to pat down the frizz. "I'm almost ready, Mom."

My mom nodded and walked towards me. I turned around and she looked me up and down, smiling. "Nora, you look gorgeous."

I bit my lip. "Even my hair?"

This made my mother laugh. "Yes, even your hair."

I sighed and looked at Vee, then back at my mother. "I'm ready, then."

They left the room and I followed suit, trying not to trip over my dress. Thank god I wasn't wearing high heels, or this would be a nightmare. I was wearing ballet flats, my shoe of choice for my swollen feet. My flowing dress fanned out behind me as I walked, and something about it made me feel that much more elegant. I was out of my comfort zone, and all of this seemed surreal. I was marrying Patch.

My mother turned and gave me one last kiss on the cheek before disappearing into the courtroom. Vee turned to me and smiled. "Wait here; don't come in until the music plays." I nodded and she slipped into the room. My heart was thundering in my ears and I tried to swallow the lump that had risen in my throat. I strained my ears to listen for the music. Silence, some shuffling, a little hushed talking, silence again…

There it was. The music.

I held my breath as I walked into the room, my eyes on the floor. As soon as I looked up, I gasped.

There he was, standing by the judge's podium. He stood tall and confident as he spotted you, a smirk creeping up on his beautiful face. He had on a black suit and a black dress shirt, a red tie hanging from his neck. He looked amazing and put together. He had even slicked back his normally bed-headed hair. I suddenly regretted not wearing heels, feeling as if I could never match up to an angel's good looks. I slowly walked up to him, trying to match my steps to the beat of the music. I finally reached him after what felt like an eternity. I smiled at him sheepishly. "Hi," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Patch suppressed a chuckle. "Hey Angel."

As I looked into his black eyes, I seemed to lose myself in their depths. They showed his love for me, his promises to keep me safe and love me always. His vows to me were laid out in the vastness of his eyes. I vaguely heard the judge begin the vows, but I was still too stunned to pay attention. I could barely remember my own name at that point. Everything was moving so fast, it was hard to keep up. Suddenly, Patch's lips tipped up in a smile and he said proudly, "I do."

I realized that Patch had just agreed to his vows, and the judge was now asking me to do the same. I swallowed hard and blinked. "I do," I said, my voice quiet as I stared at Patch. He couldn't hide his amused smirk. He took my right hand and placed his wedding ring in it, then took my left hand and slid on a thin white gold band. He bent down and kissed my ring finger gently. I smiled and took his left hand then, pushing the platinum thick wedding band on his ring finger. He smiled and held my shaking hands in his strong, steady ones.

Then I heard the words both Patch and I had been waiting for: "You may now kiss the bride."

Patch smiled and leaned down, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me in close to him. His lips crashed down on mine and I heard the sound of clapping echoing in the courtroom. Patch's teeth grazed my bottom lip and tugged on it gently. I smiled at his playfulness. I slowly pulled back and rested my forehead on his. Grinning happily, I said, "You want to go home now, husband?"

Patch laughed. "Of course, my beautiful wife."

After we said our goodbyes to everyone, we walked out of the courthouse and got into Patch's black SUV. On our drive home, deep in the middle of no where with the moonlight lighting the way, Patch reached over and grabbed my hand, smiling. I laughed. "What is with you?"

Patch shrugged, glancing over at me. "We're legally married now. It seems so… normal."

Before I could respond, a second before impact, I saw a car coming towards the driver's side of the SUV. The screech and crunch of metal upon metal boomed in my ears and I couldn't help but close my eyes. Somehow I had lost grip on Patch's hand and instead wrapped my arms protectively around my abdomen. _Dear god, please let us be okay_, I thought as I felt the car flip and the roof cave in. A searing pain shot through my head and I immediately knew I had injured my head. My senses were in overload, and I felt as if I wasn't attached to my body anymore. There was a terrible ringing sound in my ears as the car finally came to a stop. We were still upside-down, my head smashed up against the roof of the car. I vaguely heard Patch groan and I tried to turn my head to look at him, but I couldn't move. I was trapped in the position I was in.

I heard Patch groan again and I felt his hand on my shoulder. "Angel?" His voice was low and cautious. I could tell he was scared that I was dead or unconscious.

I opened my mouth to speak but the movement cause something sharp to jab into my cheek. I felt blood trickle down my face and I shut my mouth. Instead, I groaned and decided it was best to mind speak to him. _I can't move, but I'm conscious and alive. _

_I'm getting you out of there Angel, hold on._

I heard the shrieking of metal as Patch opened up his door. I couldn't see him, as my whole body had been pinned the other way. I heard him tumble out of the car and grunt as he hit the pavement. I wondered how badly he was hurt. We both had advanced healing abilities, but that meant nothing right now. The wounds were still fresh, and internal damage could have been done. Suddenly I thought of Luciana. I needed to know if she was okay, if she was still alive. My whole body was blazing in pain, and I couldn't pinpoint one certain spot from another.

Abruptly, I heard the sound of another voice outside the SUV, and Patch's low growl. I knew the voice. Doctor Griffin. Ice ran through my veins as I tried desperately to hear what she was saying.

"Patch, consider this a warning. I will be watching you and Nora closely. Don't think you can hide from me. I will always find you."

I heard Patch shout in what sounded like pain and I felt tears begin to roll down my cheeks. I closed my eyes. _Patch! Are you okay? Please get me out of here! It hurts!_

I heard the sound of a car driving away and then a pair of feet scrambling to my side of the car. I opened my eyes to see Patch kneeling near the passenger's side window. He gasped quietly when he saw me. He bit his lip in nervousness. "Angel, I'm going to get you out of there, I promise. Just try to stay still."

I closed my eyes, willing the pain to go away. It was coursing through my body stronger than my pulse. I must have blacked out for a minute because the next thing I feel is Patch's arms hooking under my armpits and dragging me out of the car. I opened my eyes and looked up at him as he cradled my mangled form in his arms. His eyes met mine and I saw that he was crying. My eyebrows furrowed. "Patch, check the baby's heartbeat, please…"

Patch nodded and laid me down gently on the pavement. I looked up to the night sky and stared at the stars. They began to seem brighter and brighter until my entire vision was filled with white. I drifted into unconsciousness.


	16. Chapter 16

Patch's POV

I couldn't believe that it was happening. What was I supposed to do? My mind was racing, trying to put together all that had happened. Doctor Griffin had smashed into my car, sending Nora and I into a horrifying wreck. I was hurt, my leg and shoulder aching terribly, but I had to ignore it. I had to ignore the blood that was seeping into my suit's pant leg and the pop my shoulder made every time I rotated it. I was a fallen angel, with super advanced healing. Although feelings of this pain were new to me, I had to push them aside. For Nora.

I slowly dragged her out of my mangled SUV, careful not to further damage my angel's body. I sat on the pavement, wincing as the shattered glass stabbed at my legs. I couldn't focus on that for long once I got a good look at Nora's face. She had a gash on her cheek that was oozing blood. Tiny pieces of sparkling window glass were scattered throughout her blood-matted curls. I couldn't see the source of the bleeding through her copious hair, but I was guessing it was a bad wound by the amount of dark blood dripping from the ends of her hair. She opened her beautiful gray eyes, but the look in them was pure terror. I saw a clear drop fall on her cheek, and I realized I was crying. I was so busy observing her broken form that I had overlooked the fact that I was terrified. Terrified of losing her, and of losing our precious baby. But I had to put my emotions aside. Nothing mattered but helping Nora.

She quickly commanded me to check if the baby's heart was still beating. I numbly nodded my head and laid her down gently on the ground. As I got a wider view of her body, I nearly threw up. Blood had stained her white bridal gown, a large spot of it flowing down the front of it. The dress was nearly shredded, probably by the sharp pieces of glass and metal that were once parts of my car. I took a deep, steadying breath and leaned down to press my ear against Nora's abdomen. I closed my eyes, praying for the first time in a very long time.

Silence.

No flutter of our baby's heart like I normally hear. A moment of panic shot through me as I pressed my ear to a different spot on Nora's stomach. I sent another prayer as I listened more intensely.

A tiny, rhythmic beat was sounding from inside.

I let out a huge sigh of relief and smiled slightly. "Nora, she's fine. I can hear-" I stopped as I looked up to Nora's face and saw that it had gone slack. In fact, her entire body had gone slack.

My eyes grew wide as I scrambled up next to her head, looking down at her. "Nora!" I shook her shoulder gently.

No response.

I bent my head down next to her face and listened. Her breathing was shallow and quick, but it was there. I needed help. And fast. My hands patted at my pockets and I thanked my lucky stars that my phone had miraculously stayed in my pocket through the crash. I dialed 911 and waited impatiently as it rung.

Two rings. I grimaced.

Four rings. I snarled and began tapping my hand against my knee. I looked back at Nora, seeing her mangled and bleeding in front of me. I growled as it rung a fifth time.

"GOD DAMN IT!" I roared, hanging up and dialing 911 again.

The operator picked up at the second ring. "911, please state your emergency."

I sighed in relief. "I need an ambulance now. My wife and I have been in a terrible car accident. She's unconscious and bleeding, and-"

"Sir, can you slow down? An ambulance is on the way to your location as specified by your cell phone tracker. Now tell me calmly what happened."

I grit my teeth in frustration. I didn't want to talk to this woman about what happened. I wanted to get Nora help. Regardless, I complied. "We were driving home and another car smashed into the driver's side."

"Is the other driver alright?"

I closed my eyes and massage my temples. I had to keep cool. "Yes. They got out of the car just fine, and they got away."

"Did you see them? Can you identify the other driver?"

Finally, we were getting somewhere. "Yes, actually. Her name is Katherine Griffin, and she's a doctor."

"So you know the other driver?"

"Yes, she purposefully hit us."

"So you're saying this was a planned hit and run?"

I sighed impatiently and looked at Nora's unconscious form. "Yes," I said quietly, reaching down and placing my hand on Nora's shoulder. It was cold. I shrugged out of my jacket quickly and placed it over her. "When is the ambulance getting here? My wife is bleeding to death!" I raised my voice at the operator. She was wasting my time.

"They're only two minutes away, Sir, please stay calm. Is she still breathing?"

I lowered my head next to Nora's face again, listening to her breath. "Yes, barely."

"Does your wife have any medical conditions?"

I shook my head, despite the operator not being able to see me. "No, no medi- wait, she's pregnant. Does that count?" I felt so stupid. How could I have forgotten to tell her that?

"Yes. How far along is she?"

"Five months." My answer was automatic.

"Can you tell if her abdomen is bleeding?"

I forced myself to look down at Nora's body again, and felt a churning in my stomach. The blood seemed to be everywhere now. Her dress was weighed down by puddles of blood everywhere. "I-I can't tell," I stuttered, ripping my eyes away from the sight. I could finally hear the sirens, and a wave of relief washed through me. Help was nearly here. "I can hear the ambulance."

"Alright Sir, I will let the paramedics take it from here."

I hung up just as the ambulance came into view. I sighed in relief and looked down at Nora's face. She looked so pale, so fragile. My poor angel was so broken… I had to look away. The ambulance stopped a few feet away and a pair of paramedics hopped out. One ran around the back to get a stretcher. The other one came up to me and Nora. He was a tall and muscular guy, with all-American looks.

"Hi, I'm Jason. My partner over there is Cory, he's going to be helping your wife. Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "Don't worry about me. All I care about is Nora and our baby."

Jason pursed his lips and looked back to Cory, who was pulling the stretcher out of the ambulance. "Listen, Sir, I know you're worried about your wife, but I need to know if you're hurt anywhere."

I sighed and looked him in the eye. I couldn't believe I was about to do this when I hadn't in so long. _Worry about the girl and the baby. I am not hurt in any way. Focus on her,_ I mind-tricked him. I saw his eyes glaze over in submission and he nodded. By this time his partner Cory had arrived and started examining Nora. Jason began to help him as well and I stood up and backed away. I had to give them space. They were the professionals, not me. I had no power over this. I couldn't save her even if I wanted to, which I did. I can't even tell anyone how badly I wanted to help her, to save her. I couldn't.

I ran my shaking hands through my hair, staring at the men who were trying to piece together my broken angel. I didn't know what they were doing, couldn't follow their flying hands as they raced against Nora's life clock. "I-Is she going to be okay?" I asked, trying to keep my calm.

Jason shook his head. "Hard to tell. She's lost a lot of blood. We need to get her back to the hospital, stat."

The other man, Cory, looked up at his partner. "Help me get her onto the stretcher. We need to hurry, her pulse is slowing."

Those words sent a panic through my system. I couldn't move. I was paralyzed as the paramedics picked up Nora's limp body and put her on the stretcher. They wheeled her into the back on the ambulance and hooked her up to a bunch of machines. I couldn't follow. My body wasn't cooperating. All I could do was stare as Nora began fading from my life.

Cory looked back at me. "Sir, you need to come with us."

I slowly nodded and climbed into the back of the ambulance. I sat on the floor as they worked on Nora. Jason went up to the front and began to drive. I heard a distant beeping and figured it was the heart rate monitor. I buried my face in my hands with my elbows on my knees. I listened as the beeps began to dwindle. I couldn't look anymore.

I just couldn't let myself believe that my angel was dying.

* * *

**I'm so sorry I've been gone for so long! I've been dealing with some medical issues that have prohibited me from doing much. **

**Anyways, I hope you liked the chapter! I did my best to portray Patch, but I know its pretty shaky. Let me know what you think with a review! **

**-Katie**


	17. Chapter 17

**Patch's Point of View**

I paced back and forth in the small waiting room for hours. I walked forward five steps, back five steps. I tried to ignore the worried sobbing of Nora's mother Blythe, and the soothing murmurs of her best friend Vee. I had called them shortly after arriving at the hospital. The doctors had quickly whisked Nora away from me and wouldn't tell me anything. I was so furious that I stormed outside and smashed my fist against the brick wall of the hospital. My knuckles had scraped up a little, but more of the damage had been done to the bricks. Once I had calmed down enough, I walked back into the waiting room, called Nora's mom and Vee, and sat in one of the chairs. I spent a few minutes that way before realizing I was too restless to sit, so I got up and began pacing. Then some police officers had me give a quick statement, half of which I don't even care enough to remember. Vee and Blythe arrive shortly after, Blythe hysterical and Vee looking frantic. I told them what had happened, sparing the part about the other driver being a Nephilim trying to steal our baby for Blythe's sake. Vee understood though, and looked at me with surprise. I had only shrugged, not wanting to alarm Nora's mother any further. They sat down in some chairs and had remained there while I paced.

Forwards five steps, back five steps. Repeat.

"Mr. Cipriano?"

My head whipped up, searching for the source of that voice. My eyes landed on a doctor with a clipboard full of papers. "That's me," I said, my voice coming out harder than I intended.

The doctor raised an eyebrow. "May I have a word with you?" He asked politely.

I looked back at Vee, who nodded, and I turned towards the doctor again. My head moved numbly in a nod and he motioned for me to follow him. I obeyed silently, following him down the hall, through a few sets of doors, and we landed in front of a door. The sign above it read "Intensive Care Unit (ICU)". I swallowed hard and looked at the doctor.

He sighed. "My name is Dr. Fletcher. I've been taking care of your wife Nora and your baby."

I nodded, wringing my hands together. "H-How are they?" I asked quietly.

Dr. Fletcher pursed his lips and looked down at his clipboard. "At the moment, they are both in critical condition, but I have them relatively stabilized. Nora's skull was slightly fractured upon impact, so I had to make sure there was no swelling or bleeding in her brain."

I winced, but nodded for him to continue.

"She had a pretty severe wound at her sternum, and judging by the scrapes on top of her arms, she had deflected it from directly hitting her stomach. A blow like that would have killed the baby instantly."

I felt my chest clench tightly and pursed my lips. "So the baby is alright?" I barely choked out the question.

The doctor nodded. "A little distressed, but not physically hurt, no."

I exhaled forcefully, a huge weight lifted off of my chest. My daughter was alright. Nora had saved her.

The doctor looked at me sympathetically. "While the blow did not affect the baby, your wife lost a lot of blood and cracked a few ribs. We managed to stop the internal bleeding rather quickly, but she's still very fragile."

I swallowed. "But… she's going to be okay, right? She's not… dying, is she?"

Dr. Fletcher shook his head. "I can't promise anything, but it is unlikely that she will die."

I pursed my lips and bit the inside of my cheek. I could feel my heart beginning to race in my chest. "I need numbers, Doc. Percentages, statistics."

Dr. Fletcher met my eyes and sighed. "There is a thirty percent chance of her slipping into a coma. A ten percent chance she will die."

I gritted my teeth hard, my heart pounding. "If she slips into a coma, what will happen to my daughter?"

The doctor shrugged, and I suppressed the urge to lunge at him and rip him apart. How dare he shrug at something this monumental? "It's hard to tell. The baby is much too young to be delivered at this point and survive. We could possibly support her with machines until later in the pregnancy when it is safe to deliver the baby."

I grunted and nodded. "Then that's what we'll do if we have to. I'm not losing both of them. I refuse."

"Of course. Regardless, she's still under the effects of the morphine at the moment and is resting as comfortable as possible. Would you like to go sit by her while I inform the rest of her family about her condition? She shouldn't wake up for a while, but I'm sure it would be good for you to sit by her."

"Yes," I said eagerly, wanting to see my precious angel.

The doctor quickly swiped his card to gain entrance into the room and pushes open the door for me. I walk in, scanning the room quickly. There are about a dozen sections separated by curtains, each section housing a bed with a patient. A nurse's station was placed strategically so that they could see all of the patients at once. I walked up to the desk and looked at one of the nurses. She was slightly older than Nora, with blond hair that was wound into a bun at the top of her head. She almost looked like Vee a little bit, but this girl had more fair skin.

"I'm here for Nora Cipriano. I'm her husband."

The nurse gave me a sad smile. "Welcome, although I'm sorry for this tragedy. Your wife is in the far left bed."

I nodded as thanks and turned, seeing the very end of the bed the nurse was talking about. The curtain had been drawn slightly more than the others, so I couldn't see her body. I took a deep breath and had to remind myself that Nora and Luciana were both alive, and on the way to recovery. I slowly walked towards the bed, inching closer to my damaged angel. I was so incredibly scared. Terrified at what I might see. I knew I could handle seeing her crumbled up and broken. I was supposed to protect her. I _promised her._

I finally rounded the corner around the curtain and came into view of Nora. My heart skidded to a halt as I saw the innumerable amount of tubes and bandages seeming to hold her together. My own breath caught in my throat as I watched a machine pump her breaths into her limp body. I had to force my body forward to sit in the chair beside her bed. I wanted to hold her hand, or touch her in some way, but nearly her whole body looked too fragile to touch. I settled on slipping my hand under hers and hooking my fingers around hers softly. I stared at her hand, which felt so cold curled up in mine. I looked around and spotted an extra blanket beside me. I picked it up and spread it over my angel's still form. I wished I could crawl in bed beside her to keep her warm, but I was afraid I would hurt her worse.

I sat there for what seemed like years, but in reality was probably a matter of a few hours. I only stared at Nora, impatiently waiting for any sign of her waking up; a twitch of her fingers, a crinkle of her eyebrows, a noise from her beautiful voice. As the hours ticked by, it's like I turned into a statue. I barely moved the entire time. I sat with my elbows on my knees, my back hunched forward, and my hangs wringing together nervously. I listened to the slow beeping of Nora's heart rate monitor and Luciana's heart rate monitor. Both were relatively stable, except for a time or two when Luciana's heart rate rose slightly. A nurse came to check on it immediately though, and did something to make it slow again. At about the fourth time this happened, the nurse turned to me, pursing her lips. She looked like she was tempted to say something, but didn't want to be rude.

I looked up at her with a vacant expression. "Yes?"

She seemed to be embarrassed at my confrontation. I didn't care. "Well, I just noticed how the baby is getting a little bit hyper and raising her heart rate. It could interfere with the healing process. Do you know anything that would normally calm her down? It may help."

My head dropped a little. "Nora's voice usually worked."

The nurse's expression grew a little bit sad, but then she shrugged. "Perhaps you could talk instead?"

I looked up at her from my place on the chair. "I don't know what to say."

This made the nurse smile a bit. "Talk about anything that's on your mind. She can't understand words yet anyways."

After the nurse left again, I looked down at Nora's stomach. I slid my chair closer and reached out my hand, but then redrew it when I remembered that I could hurt Nora. I settled for leaning my head towards the baby. I felt awkward doing this is such a public setting, but if it helped anything, I was willing to try it. "Hi Luciana. Lucy. It's your daddy," I started, although something still felt off. I gave up trying to be cautious and gently laid my hand on Nora's stomach. "I've been so worried about you and your mommy. I hope you're okay, and that you are completely healthy. You need to stop raising your heartbeat though, Lucy. The nurses say it's not good."

I sighed, bowing my head and staring at the white sheets of the hospital bed. "And if there is any way, please tell your mommy to wake up. I… I need her. I need her more than the air I breathe. I'd give up everything for her. My life, if I had to. So please, I need both of you to be okay and for mommy to wake up."

I heard a moan, muffled by the sound of a tube down her airway.

My head whipped up to see Nora's eyes wide open. She looked distressed, probably because of the tube down her throat. I instantly pressed the nurse button and rushed up to stand beside her head. I smoothed what hair peeked out from behind a bandage wrapped around her head. "Shh, Nora, it's okay, Angel. I'm right here. You're fine now. Everything will be fine. I promise."

* * *

**Sorry I've been gone for so long guys! I've been dealing with my health issues, as you know, on top of a difficult semester at school. I beg you to be patient with me. This chapter is a little bit longer than normal, though, so I hope that makes up for it. **

**Leave a review. Don't be shy. :)**

**-Katie**


	18. Chapter 18

I sputtered and coughed as the nurse slid the breathing tube out of my throat. Once my airway was clear of that, I felt so relieved. I could breathe on my own again. It felt so good to get it out of my throat. As soon as the nurse was clear, Patch was back at my side, holding my hand tightly. His eyes rapidly searched my face, which I'm sure was battered and bruised beyond belief. Thankfully, the medicines the doctors had given me blocked out most of the pain. I felt a dull ache just below my chest, but I ignored it the best I could. I could feel Luciana moving, so I knew she was fine. They must have attached a heart monitor for her as well, since I heard two heartbeats going at the same time. I barely had enough feeling in my hands to grasp Patch's hand weakly, but I did.

Patch looked into my eyes worriedly. "How do you feel?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but more of the words that came out were slurred. Another side effect of the medicines. "I feel fine. Whatever they gave me is working."

Patch nodded solemnly, but I saw him exhale in relief. "That's good. You aren't in pain?"

I shook my head lazily. "Nope."

Patch raised an eyebrow. "And Lucy? Do you think she's okay?"

I felt a swift kick from her and smiled slightly. "Yeah, she's moving just fine."

Patch's lips tilted up a little at the edges. "Good." My eyelids drooped heavily, and I had a hard time finding the strength to keep them open. I heard Patch's soft chuckle and felt his warm lips press against my temple softly. "You need to rest, Angel. I'll be right here." I let my eyelids close completely and I slowly drifted off to sleep once more.

Once I woke up, I heard Patch's light snores from the chair beside my bed. I turned my head just far enough to see him slumped lazily over the small chair. I felt bad that he was cramped up there, and I wished he would just go home to get some good sleep.

"Patch," I whispered to him. He barely stirred. "Patch," I said, a little more firmly.

He woke with a gasp, looking around blankly for a minute before his eyes landed on me. he was at my side in an instant, his hand grasping mine. "Are you okay, Angel? Do you need anything?"

I smiled slightly. "No honey, I'm fine. I want you to go home and get some rest."

He shook his head. "I'm not leaving you."

I rolled my eyes. "Jev, I am ordering you to go home and sleep in a good bed. If you want someone here with me, I'm sure my mom or Vee wouldn't mind coming up here and staying with me."

Patch's expression melted into one of guilt. "They've been here the whole time, too. They're out in the waiting room."

I sighed heavily. "All of you need to go home. I'll be fine. The nurses will call you if anything goes wrong."

Patch narrowed his eyes at me. "Angel, you know I'm not leaving you. Not ever." His voice was firm.

I bit my lip thoughtfully. "At least tell my mom and Vee that I want them to go home and sleep. Give Vee the spare key to our house so she can get in. It will be a while until they get a chance to see me anyways, I'm sure."

Patch nodded. "I'll go tell them. I'll be right back, Angel." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose and patted my baby bump lightly. Then, he left.

After a minute, a nurse walked over and smiled at me. "Hi Nora. How are you feeling?"

I smiled back at her hesitantly. "I feel fine. Whatever medication you have me on has me pretty numb."

The nurse giggled. "Yeah, we never seem to have many complaints when we put people on it. Even people in the worst conditions feel pretty good."

I swallowed, looking up at her cautiously. "How bad am I?"

The nurse's smile faded from her face and she looked at me hesitantly. That's when she filled me in on everything, from my fractured skull to the impact I took in my sternum. The dull ache in my lower chest suddenly made sense. I had smaller scrapes and cuts as well, which explained the bandages covering most of my body. I suddenly realized that Patch should have been hurt too, but he hadn't seemed like he was. I remembered how fast angels heal though, so I figured that is what happened.

The nurse began unwrapping a bandage on my arm. She gasped when the bandage came off. My eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

The nurse shook her head. "There was a deep gash on your arm that needed stiches, but the cut is all healed now. That is miraculous!"

Nephilim healing was fast, too. This was going to be hard to explain. "Really? How strange." I tried my best to sound perplexed.

The nurse crossed around to my other side and pealed back a bandage on my shoulder. She shook her head in disbelief. "How strange! The cuts you had on this side are healed too!"

I bit my lip, unprepared to have an answer for such a thing. Luckily, Patch came back and took his stance at my side. The nurse looked up at him, proclaiming my fast healing. Patch only smiled and said, "Well, isn't that good? She'll be out of here faster, right?"

The nurse shrugged. "I'd say she's ready to be transferred out of the ICU. I'll arrange for a private room."

**_~A week later~_**

"Home sweet home!" Patch said sarcastically as he walked me to our door. He quickly unlocked it and let me step inside. He followed suit and I felt his arms snake around my waist. "Glad to be home?" He whispered in my ear from behind me.

I giggled. "Extremely. That hospital cannot even compare to home."

"NORA!" I heard Vee squeal. She appeared from the kitchen and ran to me. She almost went in for a hug, but thought better of it. She wrinkled her nose. "Still kind of sore?"

I shrugged. "My chest is. That's where I took the worst blow."

Patch sighed. "I'm just glad you deflected it from hitting Lucy."

I pursed my lips and nodded. "I protected her as best I could."

Vee nodded, understanding how protective a mother could be. "I try to do the same with little Gavin."

I smiled. "Speaking of which, are you excited to see him tomorrow?"

Vee smiled too. "I am. As much as I love you Nora, I have to have my baby boy."

I laughed. "It's okay, Vee. Thanks for staying so long. I know you were supposed to leave a few days ago."

"I was not about to leave when you were in the hospital, babe!"

I nodded. "Regardless, thanks. And you'll be flying in after Lucy's born, right?"

Vee rolled her eyes. "Of course, Nora. I wouldn't miss meeting the first Angel-Nephilim hybrid for the world."

I smiled. "That's great."

Patch nodded. "Thanks Vee. For everything. Are you all packed?"

Vee nodded. "Yeah."

I opened my arms. "Gentle hug before you leave?"

She smiled and wrapped her arms loosely around me. "I'm going to miss you, Nora."

I hugged her back. "I will miss you too, Vee. But we'll video chat and stuff."

Vee sighed and pulled away. "You know it's not the same."

I bit my lip. "I know. But that's what you get for moving away," I joked.

Vee stuck out her tongue at me. "Bye, Nora. Take care of yourself."

I smiled halfheartedly. "You too, Vee."

Patch ushered her out the door, holding on to her suitcases. "I'll drive straight to the airport and straight back. I won't be long, Angel."

I nodded. "Okay. I think I'm going to go upstairs and take a nap."

Patch gave me his signature smirk. "Okay, Angel. I'll join you in bed once I get back." With a kiss on my cheek, he left.

I shut the door behind him and climbed the stairs up to our bedroom. As I lay down, I felt Luciana kick me, and I put a soothing hand on my bump. "Time to sleep, Luciana. Nap time." I yawned and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Hi readers! Sorry for being gone so long! I was dealing with a lot of personal issues. But now I'm back! **

**Sorry this chapter is mostly filler. I promise the next chapter will be a little more interesting. Until then, leave a review!**

**-Katie**


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